What the Heart Desires
by AlyNiki
Summary: After the vote Edward leaves again to try to force Bella to remain human. Rosalie leaves as well. With Bella and Emmett left together to console one another, will anything else develop for the pair? Or will they always be brother and sister to each other?
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

**:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:**

That Edward was not happy with me would have been a severe understatement. He had never truly understood my desire to join him in a life of immortality, even if it did mean that I would have to overcome my aversion to blood. He was stubbornly set on any path that involved me remaining human; something that I protested vehemently.

To be fair, I never understood his desire to keep me human. I am weak, clumsy, and most importantly, dying. We are soul mates, even if he doesn't believe that he has a soul. We are meant to be together. He should rejoice in the fact that I am willing to embrace his existence instead of shunning me for it. I will never understand how he could possibly be happier existing with me for a brief time, only to have me die later, and then continue to exist for an eternity in mourning. It was inconceivable!

That was the main reason that I called the meeting with his family. I wanted a vote on my mortality because they were his family and would become mine as well. I didn't understand it, but Edward's decision was his own and he would just have to accept me in whatever form I took. His family, however, did not have to accept me. They were not bound to me in the way that the love Edward and I shared bound us together. It made me nervous as we approached the house. What would I do if they said no?

Alice, of course, was beyond thrilled that I wanted to become a vampire. Even Jasper agreed with me. Although, I suspect his decision was more to eliminate the fact that I was a temptation to his self-control than it was to appease his wife. Esme and Carlisle were both supportive as well. Edward, obviously, was strongly opposed as was Rosalie. Rosalie thought that I was acting rashly and was jealous of my mortality. How someone so beautiful could be jealous of me I would never understand. Emmett was almost as excited as Alice was at the prospect of me being changed.

His reaction was what set off the chain of events that led to where I am now. Rosalie was angry with me but more upset with Emmett. She felt betrayed that he had chosen my side over hers. Great, as if I needed another reason for her to hate me.

The two of them left the room, to argue I suppose. The tension of the night was ebbing away at the strange high that I rode temporarily at being accepted by the Cullen clan. Edward walked out of the room with an angry huff. I knew he was mad, but I wasn't worried about him staying that way. It wouldn't be long before I was a vampire as well and I could chase after him any time he decided to walk away. He loved me enough that he would never really leave me. I knew that now; the force of my epiphany still running strong.

"You don't know what you are asking for, Bella."

Edward's voice surprised me. I hadn't realized that he had come back into the room. His eyes were cold and calculating. I didn't like that look. His thoughts were always two steps ahead of mine planning diversions and half-truths.

"I am asking for an eternity with you, nothing more, nothing less," I replied.

"It's still going to happen, Edward." Alice's voice carried from somewhere upstairs in the house. It was still unnerving to know that she only spoke aloud for my benefit. Edward could "hear" her just fine without spoken words.

"Never!" he cried. "You can't want this anymore, Bella. You just can't! I'm leaving so that you don't have the choice to give up your life. I love you. I'll always love you. But I can not allow you to throw away your life for me."

The words cut open a raw new wound in my heart. I ached to make them untrue, to not hear what he spoke. I stared back at his pitch black eyes willing to see the love shining back at me the way they had only hours before. Still, even in that moment, even having my heart sliced open in front of his family, he was beautiful. His pale skin contrasted perfectly with his tousled, bronze hair. That beauty would be the death of me.

Edward disappeared into the night. I tried to convince myself that he just needed time, just a few hours, to come to terms with the end of my human existence. He loved me. He wouldn't leave me forever, again. I knew how hard it had been for him to exist without me. More than that, he knew how I had only barely managed to survive without him. He would never subject either of us to that kind of intolerable emotional torture again.

Rosalie left shortly after Edward. Her icy glare landed on me for only a fraction of a second before she slid out the door, but it was long enough. I knew that I was the reason for her departure. Though she wasn't my favorite person in the family, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret that I was forcing her away from her life by trying to interject myself into it.

From there the mass exodus had begun. Jasper and Alice left to hunt and for him to escape the emotional turmoil in the house. Esme and Carlisle left in search of Rosalie and Edward. They hoped to talk sense into them and convince them to stay. Even though I willed it not to be true, I couldn't ignore the sickening feeling in my gut that told me that they wouldn't find them. I had ripped apart the family. So much for being a welcome member. The once inviting home was not empty save for Emmett and I.

I looked over at Emmett. He was always so easy going and smiling. Now, he was slumped over and looked defeated. This was entirely my fault. I had to make this better, if not for me, then for Emmett. No one deserved to lose their mate over my decision. To be fair, Edward was also to blame for the misery inflicted on the family, but I couldn't bother myself with that detail. All that mattered was that Emmett was hurting and I had to do whatever I could to make him feel better and to avoid slipping into despair myself.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to him.

He looked up at me with drooping eyes. "Don't worry about it, Bella. This was bound to happen eventually."

"Your wife, your mate left you because of me."

I flopped back into the couch next to him and wrapped my tiny arms around his large frame in a comforting embrace. The coolness was familiar and comforting. He peeked at me from the corner of his eye. The hint of a grin reappeared on his face as he placed his own bulking arm over my shoulders.

"You always were a strange human," he teased. "Why would a human try to comfort a vampire?"

"Please! I'm trying to comfort a man with a broken heart who just so happens to be a vampire."

"I don't have a heart," he countered. His expression was abruptly serious.

"You have a heart, it just doesn't beat anymore." I rolled my eyes. None of these Cullens got that.

He chuckled, finally. "You know, if Edward believed that then we wouldn't be in half of this mess right now."

I let our a deep, resigned sigh. "Yea, I know."

We settled back into a comfortable silence for a few minutes. Neither of us knew exactly what to say to one another. How do you tell someone "I'm sorry that your soul mate left you because you are friends with a human?" Or, "I'm sorry the love of your life doesn't love you enough to spend eternity with you just because I want to join your immortal family?" There aren't words for those types of situations. Too bad, Hallmark could make a fortune right now if they knew how.

"Do you still want to become a vampire?"

"Of course." I answered without hesitation. On this point I still never faltered. "I love Edward. I want to spend my entire existence with him. And I love the family, too. I want to be with all of you as well."

My answer seemed to spark something within him. His eyes began to twinkle again in that mischievous way that made me nervous. Emmett was always easy enough to read. His thoughts generally involved Rosalie, wrestling, playing a prank, or finding a way to make me blush. Seeing as Rosalie and wrestling were out of the picture at the moment, the odds weren't looking good in my favor.

"I could always bite you right now," he offered with a smirk. I could tell he was teasing but the thought sent my heart into overdrive.

"Oh sure." I snickered and rolled my eyes. "I heard what happened to the last human you bit."

His laughter roared through the house. It was much nicer to hear than all the arguing earlier in the evening. "I wasn't trying to change the last person I bit. They were just a snack to pass the time."

I grasped at my neck in mock horror. "How do I know that you aren't getting a little thirsty now?"

He eyed me speculatively. "You're right." His tone was far too serious.

His eyes began to darken as he eyed my neck. My heart rate sped up exponentially faster in response, giving away my fear. My breathing became heavy and irregular. I pressed myself farther back into the couch as if it would help me to escape him. Logically, I knew that Emmett wouldn't hurt me. However, for once in my life, I seemed to be having an appropriate response to a vampire and all I could feel was fear. Fear that he might kill me, fear that Edward wouldn't return, and, worse, that Edward wouldn't care to return this time. Finally, I shut my eyes and prepared myself for the worst.

Emmett's low chuckle from across the room finally caused me to open my eyes. He was doubled over and pounding his knees in a fit of laughter on the opposite end of the room. His eyes were back to a sparkling amber color, no traces of thirst visible in them. After a moment to recover myself I felt indignation and irritation color my cheeks.

"_That_ was _not_ funny!" I scolded. His laughter was his only response. "I am not amused," I whispered, mostly to myself. I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest.

In an instant, Emmett was standing over me prying my arms apart. "I'm sorry, Bella," he apologized. His eyes were still playful. "I didn't mean to scare you…"

"Yes, you did."

"Alright, maybe I did." His eyes were still twinkling with his good humor. "I couldn't resist. All this time, you never found a reason to be afraid of Edward. I finally made you afraid of vampires!" He sounded quite proud of himself.

"You didn't make me afraid of vampires. I was just afraid to tell you that your breath stinks."

He laughed loudly again. "Ever the odd human."

Alice breezed into the house then and stared back and forth between us with a bewildered expression before fixing a glare on Emmett. I could only guess what she had seen and the reson for her alarm.

"So, Emmett and I were playing a harmless game of scare-the-human."

She didn't appear to appreciate my attempt at humor. Her lips pulled back over her teeth. She narrowed her eyes at me and took a step back before her eyes glazed over as she lost herself briefly in a vision. It was a long moment before her eyes cleared and she scanned the faces of everyone in the room. When she focused back on me, a small smirk appeared.

"You're more than alright."

I love Alice dearly. She is my best friend and the sister that I never had, but her mysterious behavior and cryptic words always confused me and frustrated me to no end. There were days that I literally wanted to wring her neck to get more information out of her. This was no exception.

"Can you not be so mysterious?" I asked her, voicing my frustration.

Her musical laughter filled the room. She skipped over to the couch and landed lightly in the middle with her legs tucked underneath her. She tapped her finger to her chin thoughtfully with one hand and beckoned me forward with her other. I hesitantly joined her, already suspicious of an ambush, but desperately eager to know what she had seen.

"Bella, Bella, Bella," she hummed. "At least you aren't falling apart this time."

"That is what this is about?"

Emmett's question broke through my impatience. I had all but forgotten that he and Jasper were watching Alice and I. I smiled back at him apologetically, though I wasn't sure why. He had more years dealing with Alice than I had. By now he ought to know how to deal with or ignore her.

"Of course," she replied. She looked over at me then. "Why aren't you falling apart this time?"

"Because the rest of the family is still here. He has to come back eventually." _Because I'm here_, I wanted to add.

To be honest, I should be more upset over this. Edward and I had barely reunited for forty-eight hours and already he was running off and abandoning me again. To be honest, it still didn't feel real that he had returned with me from Italy. Even less that the rest of the Cullens were here as well. Yet, the fact that all of the Cullens were here meant that they were coming home. It didn't matter than Carlisle and Esme were miles away searching for their wayward children, they would come back. And so would Edward. He could not stay away from them forever, they were his family. They were as much a part of his life as I intended to be. He would return to them eventually, and in so doing, return to me. It was the last shred of hope that I had and I would cling to it with my entire being to avoid the empty desperation I had felt the first time he left.

"What if he doesn't come back?"

Alice's question left my confidence shaking. I didn't want to think about that possibility. The outcome wasn't good for me.

"Is that what you saw?"

"No," she replied bluntly without bothering to elaborate.

"He will be back," I whispered. "He has to come back."

"What if it isn't soon enough, Bella?"

I looked up at her. Her expression was soft and concerned. Almost as if she were trying to tell me without words that my hope was, indeed, lost.

"What did you see, Alice?" My voice quivered as I spoke.

A wave of calm and peacefulness washed over me. From the corner of my eye I saw Jasper move fractionally closer to me. I almost felt guilty for what my emotions must be doing to him but the calm kept everything else at bay.

"I saw you." I raised my eyebrow, encouraging her to continue. "You were happy." I rolled my eyes at her. Getting a straight answer was like pulling teeth.

"You were happy with… someone else," she finally admitted.

My heart paused mid-beat. "Happy?" I reiterated. She nodded to confirm the foreign word. "With someone else?" She nodded again. "As in, not with Edward?" Again, she nodded her head slowly in confirmation. "Who?"

Before she had a chance to answer, a stronger wave of calm swept over me and Jasper moved to my side. I could feel his cool, marble hand on my shoulder. Alice looked over at me sympathetically and nodded at Jasper.

"Sorry ladies. Didn't mean to interrupt, but Bella here seems a bit stressed."

"Sorry, Jasper."

"No worries."

Both his thick southern drawl and his hand moved further away from me as he said it.

"It was my fault," Alice announced. "I've been going between love, excitement, fear, anxiety…"

She was trying to make me feel better and I knew it. I was borderline hysterical over the bombshell that she dropped on me. Why on earth would she have seen me happy, with someone else, just hours after being abandoned for the second time by the love of my life? It didn't make sense. Fate must have been trying to play some sort of cruel, malicious joke on me to allow me to believe that Edward loved me as I loved him. That must have been the reason. Why else would I no longer belong to him?

My epiphany from earlier in the evening, of being so sure that he loved me even in his absence, was fading quickly. The blackness, the hollowness, threatened to seep back into my veins.

"Alright," I sighed. "What exactly did you see, Alice?"

She glanced at me nervously and shook her head no. "We should take you home. You need some sleep now."

I stood to protest but already Emmett's large hands had pulled me back into him and restrained me as he carried me out of the room. As he ran past the door, he grabbed a jacket and threw it over me while he ran out into the night with me tucked safely into his arms. I closed my eyes and buried my face into his chest. He chuckled softly, giving off gentle vibrations.

The wind rushing past me stopped suddenly and the biting cold of night was replaced by a soft warmth. I opened my eyes to find that I was already in bed and tucked under the blankets. Emmett was grinning at me from the rocking chair.

"Sleep, Bella," he commanded gently.

I nodded my head and lay back down, surprisingly exhausted after the nights' events.

That night I dreamt of Edward. He was standing in our meadow, smiling up at the sun. His skin sparkled like thousands of tiny diamonds. He opened his eyes to see me and extended his hand as an invitation for me to join him. As I stepped out of the shadows my skin matched his and sparkled brilliantly. I looked down at myself and smiled in amazement. When I looked back at him his expression was horrified for a brief moment before he turned and ran swiftly into the forest. No matter how hard I tried to chase after him, my feet were locked in place. I tried to call after him but was unable to produce a sound. I was alone, I was paralyzed, and I was exposed.

I shot up in bed screaming at the top of my lungs when I finally awoke. A cool hand brushed across my forehead soothingly. I leaned into it and inhaled deeply. The scent that I was met with was sweet, but was not the familiar one I was expecting. Emmett sat next to me and looked at me worriedly.

"Are you alright?" The panic in his voice did not escape me.

"It was just a dream," I assured him with a nod of my head.

"That was not _just_ a dream."

His hand continued to sweep across my forehead. My heart rate had finally calmed back down to a normal pace and my labored breathing had evened out. The coolness of his hand was a great comfort as well. Emmett's touch was as gentle as Emmett could be, but still less controlled than Edward's had ever been. I leaned into his palm. It was nice to have someone that didn't feel the need to treat me like a porcelain doll.

"Bella." There was an implicit warning in his voice.

"Sorry," I quickly apologized and pulled away from him.

My deep blush gave me away even as I hid under the blankets. He chuckled softly and pulled them back to look at me. His eyes held tenderness, even if they were too dark at that moment. I was all too aware that he needed to hunt and my blush was not helping the situation.

"You should hunt.:

He shook his head. "Another day won't hurt me."

"But it might hurt me."

He chuckled again. "Told you that you were afraid of me."

"I'm not afraid of you." Emmett stood up and walked to the rocking chair again. "I'm not afraid of you," I repeated.

"Edward was right. You really have no sense of self-preservation."

My heart began to ache at the mention of his name. Alice had hinted at the fact that Edward might not come back to me. She had told me that I would be happy; that I would be happy with someone else. I couldn't believe her. _He_ had to come back. _He _had to come back to me, for me.

Emmett glanced over at me apologetically. "You're still hurting." As if I needed this confirmed.

"So are you."

"That's why I said one day without hunting won't hurt me. There are worse pains to endure."

His sullen expression was enough to make me forget my own pain. Emmett was never this depressed. I would give anything to see him in his normal jovial mood again. He radiated happiness to everyone around him. His goofy personality and dazzling dimples made it impossible for anyone to be upset around him. Well, anyone but Edward.

Emmett reminded me of Jake in that sense. They were big balls of sunshine in my cloudy existence. Now Emmett was hurting. I needed to find a way to make this better for him. Jake had been my sun, now I needed to return the favor for Emmett. Perhaps, then, I could find my own happiness in life.

"Do you mind if I just hang out with you for the day?"

I nodded my head enthusiastically. Spending the day with Emmett was the perfect way to try and cheer him up. "What would you like to do?"

"Well it is supposed to be sunny according to the know-it-all, so something indoors." He grinned devilishly, flashing me his bright white teeth. "We could redecorate Edward's room."

I laughed with him. "As much fun as that would be, I don't think I could."

"Yea, I know. Too soon to go there."

He was right, it was. Still, if he understood that I couldn't venture into Edward's room yet, it made me wonder if he was able to go into the room that he and Rosalie had shared. Odd to think that he wouldn't be able to roam his own personal space freely now.

"I could teach you to cook."

"Why would I need to know how to cook?" His puzzled expression was almost comical.

"Well, it seems that I am going to remain a human for awhile longer so someone needs to know how to make a decent meal for me when I'm too lazy to do it for myself."

He grinned lazily at me. "Sounds good to me. What's first on the lesson plan?"

Two hours later and we were in the Cullen kitchen while Emmett attempted to make scrambled eggs. Apparently, they are harder to make than one would anticipate. I gave him instructions one time and then was forced to sit quietly without telling him what he was doing wrong. He repeatedly scorched the eggs by forgetting to grease the pan or turning the heat up too high to cook them quicker. Each time he muttered something about human food needing to cook at vampire speeds.

One hour and two dozen eggs later I finally had an edible scrambled egg, even if it was a little saltier than I like to eat them. I congratulated Emmett on his success. He insisted that we give the kitchen a break before he ruined any more food in one day. After watching him get frustrated with the eggs, I was all too eager to agree with him. I cringed at the thought of him attempting something more complicated and pitied the poor food that he inflicted such punishment on.

We plopped down on the couch to watch a movie. Emmett had chosen _Gone in 60 Seconds_ because he was in love with the cars. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at him. I still didn't understand the obsession that vampires held with fast cars. They made me nervous, but perhaps that was because I was still breakable and they weren't.

Eventually I began to drift off to sleep. Emmett placed a pillow on his lap, laid my head down on top of it, and covered me with a blanket. I was in a near dream state when I felt his hands stroking my hair. My heart raced at the contact and he briefly paused before continuing. Just before I fell asleep I felt a soft, cool kiss on my forehead.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

**:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:**

A couple of weeks slipped by all too quickly. It was apparent to everyone that Edward and Rosalie were not returning any time soon. Sadly, I knew that I was to blame for this despite the best attempt by everyone else to convince me otherwise. Emmett was bright and playful when we were together but I knew he was hurting when he was alone. Jasper felt it, just as he felt my sorrow and desperation.

He even remarked that we matched our emotions almost identically one day, which made us both laugh. Emmett made some silly comment about how we are emotionally compatible with one another. He didn't mean anything by it other than we knew how each other felt. Still, it reminded me just how badly my heart was hurting. Jasper sensed my hesitation and smacked him on the back on the head for it. That resulted in an all out wrestling match where I had front row seats.

It was a Friday and sunny for a change. That meant that Alice was not at school with me as she usually was and I was more sullen than usual about it. As the day drew to an end I was reluctant to drive myself home and wait for the evening. I couldn't even go to the Cullen's because they had all left to hunt for the weekend. So it was with a deep sigh and forced steps that I walked out to my truck. Unfortunately for me, in delaying the inevitable I had given Mike the opportunity to follow me out before I could escape in my truck.

"Hey! Bella! Wait up!"

Mike's voice caught my attention just as I grabbed the door handle on my truck. For a long second I thought very seriously about pretending that I hadn't heard him and just getting in. But that would be rude. Even I couldn't be rude to Mike when he just wanted to be friends with me. I allowed myself an internal groan then turned to face Mike with a fake smile plastered on my face.

"Hi, Mike. TGIF, huh?"

"Yea, about that…" he trailed off and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. I bit my lip, this wasn't going to be good. "Do you want to go to the movies tonight?"

So much for just friends. Edward hadn't even been gone a full month before Mike was attempting to ask me on a date.

"Oh, I don't know about that." My reply was vague. Honestly, I had no desire to go, but I also wanted to let him down easy. "Maybe you could just ask Jessica." At least that was an acceptable alternative. Their on-off relationship should work in my favor.

He reached out for my hand. "I'd really like to take you."

"Mike," I half whined, half pleaded. "Really, I just want to go home and relax. It's been a long week."

The disappointment was evident in his eyes even though he maintained a small smile. "Alright. Well, maybe next weekend, huh?"

I shrugged my shoulders and climbed into my truck before he could say another word on that subject. I refused to commit to anything and anything else that I said was going to be more than a little hostile.

The drive home was quick and uneventful. When I pulled into the driveway, though, I noticed a different vehicle in the driveway. Cautiously, I got out of my truck and walked up the few steps of the porch. Before I had the chance to open the door, it swung open. Jacob stood there beaming at me for a brief second before he picked me up and swung me around in a tight hug.

"Hey, Bells! I haven't seen you in forever." He sat me down to look me over, sniffed, and scrunched up his nose. "Did you forget to shower since I last saw you?" His voice was only mildly teasing.

"Ha ha." I passed by him to walk inside. "It's not my fault you don't like the way my friends smell."

He tensed at the word friends. I shrugged my shoulders and sat down on the couch. It wasn't like I was going to take it back. The Cullens were my friends after all. At least most of them.

"So, I've noticed that Edward hasn't been around lately."

"Are you stalking me now?"

He grinned his big, goofy grin at me. He didn't seem repentant and I didn't mind. He only watched me because he cared about me. I couldn't help but think about how much he reminded me of Emmett at that moment. I laughed a little at him, happy to be able to enjoy myself without the company of my favorite vampire family.

"Would you like to go do something tonight?"

I looked over at Jacob. He seemed so confident as he asked. It was a stark contrast to the way Mike had asked me. Jacob was radiating confidence. I knew he loved me and he knew that I cared for him, even if it wasn't the same way as he felt about me. I suppose that is where the confidence came from. He knew that I wanted to spend time with him and Mike was used to my rejection.

I nodded my head. "What did you have in mind?"

"We're having a barbeque down at First Beach tonight with the rest of the pack. I thought you might like to get out. Bon fires with driftwood make awesome colors. It'll be fun." He nudged my elbow as he said it in a way that said he was impatient to get going.

"Sounds great," I replied enthusiastically. "Let me just make some dinner for Charlie and leave a note."

He grunted in response and fell back on the couch. Before I ever made it out of the room, he was already snoring quietly. I shook my head and smiled to myself as I busied myself in the kitchen. I quickly fried up some of the fish that Charlie kept in the freezer and made some garlic mashed potatoes to go with it. I warmed up some green beans and piled it all on a plate and set it in the oven to keep warm. I glanced back at Jacob and decided to make a second plate for him to eat before we left. That boy had one massive appetite and would appreciate the food even if we were on our way to dinner with the pack.

I rushed up the stairs and grabbed my parka. Even if I was going to be at a bonfire with a group of warmer than usual werewolves I wanted a good jacket to keep me warm. Jacob was a great friend, but I wasn't sure that I wanted to get too close to him just yet. I was still hurting over _his_ second departure.

As I bounded down the stairs I began to trip over my own feet. I waited to be reintroduced to the floor of the first level only to come up short. Jacob caught me in mid air and pulled me back into him quickly. He looked down at me with his signature goofy grin. My plan to avoid too much physical contact with him had just gone right out the window.

"Can't you go five seconds without getting into trouble?" It didn't escape my notice that he still had not let go of me.

"Obviously not if I am hanging out all night with a group of unpredictable werewolves." My voice was sharper than I wanted because I was uncomfortable with the way he held me.

He released his hold on me and placed his hand up to his chest to feign hurt. "We are not unpredictable!"

I laughed. "Yea, because that is the part that you choose to defend."

"I could always be unpredictable and toss you into the water." He winked at me and eyed the parka in my hands.

"If I go in, you go with me." My warning wasn't as impressive with a shaky voice.

"If I toss you in, I would be with you anyway," he replied smugly.

"Fine! But if you come out smelling like wet dog I'm going home."

He laughed loudly at that and ate the food I had set out for him while I scribbled out a note for Charlie and left it on the fridge for him to read. After Jacob finished eating he quickly washed his plate and set it up to dry.

The drive to La Push was quiet. Jacob was an easy conversationalist but he also never felt the need to fill the void with unnecessary chatter. He also never turned on the radio. Ever since _he_ left the first time, I had stopped listening to music. Jacob was more in tune with me than I was at times. He understood what I needed better than almost anyone. For a time, no one knew me better than Jacob. Until recently...

Embry and Quil were busy piling more pieces of driftwood onto the bonfire when we arrived. They acknowledged us with a quick wave. Seth jogged over and gave me a big hug. He was such a sweet kid. Even Sam gave me a curt smile when he saw me. Leah was busy avoiding making eye contact with Emily and glaring daggers at me. Emily made up for the two of them by walking over and giving me a friendly hug and inviting me to sit next to her and Sam. Jacob and I took our seats next to them. Embry brought over two sticks and a package of hot dogs for us. Jacob skewered the hot dogs and handed me mine to roast over the open flame. I ended up eating just one while Jacob finished off the rest of the package.

I was warm and full; the perfect recipe for drowsiness. No matter how much I fought it off, sleep began to creep up on me and my eyelids began to droop. Jacob noticed, of course. He gently pulled me back to rest against his soft, warm chest. I resisted only for a few minutes before giving in to my werewolf pillow. His deep earthen scent enveloped me as I inhaled greedily. He chuckled underneath me. Only a few minutes later and I was overcome by sleep.

A short while later I was woken up. Jacob gently lifted me off him so that he could help the rest of the guys clean up the bonfire and load the cars with the coolers. After everything was cleaned he came back and doused the fire. Then he led me back to his car to take me home. He opened the door for me and held my hand as I sat down then closed the door for me. He even gave me a goofy grin, obviously proud of his gentlemanly behavior.

"Did you have fun?"

"Absolutely."

"You sure that we weren't too boring? All that snoring is a killjoy at parties you know."

"Was I really snoring?" I cringed at the thought of being that deep in sleep. If I had been snoring, I had probably talked in my sleep as well. That possibility was humiliating enough.

"No, I'm just teasing," he admitted while looking at me from the corner of his eye. "But you did have the most beautiful smile on your face while you were asleep." He paused. "You looked happy."

"I am happy, Jake."

"No, I mean really happy. Not just the façade that you put off when everyone is around. And not just the fleeting having-a-fun-time kind of happy either. You were genuinely content."

I didn't know how to respond to that. Thankfully, he wasn't looking for a response and continued talking.

"I like that I make you happy, Bella. I want the best for you. I wouldn't mind taking you out more often."

"Jake,-"

"I know. You need time. You still think your bloodsucker is coming back to you."

"Jake!" I protested again.

"Sorry, I mean your boyfriend is coming back."

"He has a name." I crossed my arms over my chest, not likely the direction of this conversation or Jacob's condescending tone.

"Edward," he huffed out. I cringed. "You see? That right there! That is how I know that you aren't happy. I can't even say his name around you!"

"I'm happy when he is here, Jake. I just miss him." My argument was weak, even to my own ears.

"No, Bella. Normal people break up, move on, and get over it. Normal people can talk about their ex and not have a mental break down each time they hear their name."

"Sorry for being abnormal."

"That isn't what I meant, Bella, and you know it. I meant that you need a normal, healthy relationship. I know you need time. But I'm here for you. No matter how long it takes. Let me love you." His voice was a whisper by the end of his speech.

I sighed. "What makes you think being in a relationship with a werewolf is any more normal than being in a relationship with a vampire?"

He snorted, relieving some of the tension in the car.. "Alright, I'll give you that. But at least I'm not tempted to drink your blood every minute of every day."

My lips curled up in a half smile. The rest of the drive was spent in comfortable silence. When we finally reached my house I let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, this is my stop."

Jake opened his door and froze. He snapped his right arm across my chest so that I couldn't move. He sniffed the air a few times and his dark eyes scanned the area intensely. It was a posture that I recognized from when Victoria hunted me and had me on edge instantly.

"You have company," he whispered. "I'm coming in with you."

My heart began to beat frantically again. It had to be one of the Cullens, probably Alice back early from hunting. I needed to get Jacob away from the situation before anything had a chance to escalate. My options were limited though. There was little I could say to convince him to leave me alone with a vampire.

"Jake, I'll be fine. I've been around the Cullens plenty of times and walked away unharmed."

He glanced at me with narrowed eyes. "That doesn't mean that I have to trust them."

"_I_ trust them. Just like I trust you even though they don't think that I should. Trust me."

He let out a sigh of defeat. "I'm calling you when I get home. If you don't answer then I'm going to assume the worst and we'll come back for you."

"I'll be waiting to hear from you," I promised, choosing to ignore how he slipped into the pack plural at the end.

I gave Jacob a quick wave good-bye and opened the front door. Charlie had fallen asleep on the couch while watching some game on the television. I tapped his foot to wake him up and let him know that I was home. He said a quick good night and walked upstairs to go to bed. I lingered awhile longer to turn off the television and wash the dishes from Charlie's dinner.

After a few minutes, I made my way upstairs when I was sure that Charlie was sound asleep. As I opened the door to my bedroom, I was disappointed to find it empty. I had hoped that I had a visitor, namely Edward, though I had refused to admit this to myself earlier. He and Alice were the only ones that regularly visited me in my room. Emmett had stayed away from my bedroom after that first night that Rosalie and Edward left and he had stayed the night with me.

I sighed and sat down on my bed. While I was taking my shoes off my phone began to ring. I rushed to answer it before Charlie had the chance to wake up.

"Hello?"

"Bella?" Jake's voice was surprisingly relieved. "You're alright?"

"Perfect. No reason to worry. No one is here." The words stung as I said them, making me realize just how disappointed I actually was.

"Great, I'm glad you're safe." He paused. "I had a lot of fun tonight."

"So did I."

"Maybe next weekend we can do something again?"

"Sure, sure," I replied, using his signature answer.

He chuckled into the phone. "Sleep well, Bella. Good night."

"Good night," I whispered into the phone and hung up.

Without further hesitation I walked over to the bathroom, changed into my pajamas, and brushed my teeth. I pulled my hair back into a loose ponytail and walked back to my room. I turned off the light and climbed into the bed. Just as I was about to lay down I glanced over at the window and noticed it was shut and locked. Charlie must have done that for me while I was gone. I groaned as I climbed out of the warmth of my bed, unlocked the window, and opened it just an inch. Satisfied that it appeared inviting enough to any friendly vampires in the area hoping for a nighttime visit I walked back to my bed.

As I sat down in bed, I was assaulted with a gust of cold air. My head snapped up and frantically searched the room. The window remained just as I had left it; it hadn't even budged an inch. My room was also empty except for the furniture and me. I shook my head at the notion that someone was here and settled back down in the bed, pulling the comforter snugly up to my chin.

I closed my eyes, willing sleep to take me quickly before my imagination could run wild. A sweet, cold breeze tickled my nose. I panicked. My heart rate sped up exponentially faster and I pinched my eyes shut. A dark chuckle sounded in the room. As much as I wanted to open my eyes and face this danger head on, I couldn't. I was paralyzed in my panic-stricken state.

"Breathe, Bella," my visitor cooed in an unfamiliar voice.

Finally, my eyes shot open. In my rocking chair, Emmett sat with an amused smirk tugging at his lips.

"You smell like mangy dog."

"And if you weren't already dead I would kill you now." My voice lacked the proper outrage since I was still recovering from the scare.

He chuckled and stood up. He walked over to the bed and hesitated. I patted the spot on the bed right next to me. He plopped down next to me, a lot less graceful than I would have imagined. Then again, this was Emmett.

"I scared you again." His voice was triumphant.

"Bravo! Scare the poor defenseless human. How was your hunt?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Slim pickings when it came to bears. Plenty of wolves around though."

I slapped at his shoulder which ended up only injuring my own hand. "Ouch!" I muttered under my breath.

Emmett's entire body shook as he fought to contain his laughter. "Why would you hit a vampire?"

"I hit an idiot who just so happens to be a vampire."

"You really are a strange human. You're so entertaining. It's a good thing that Edward brought you around. We needed a fresh take on life."

"You mean a fresh snack in the house."

He shook his head in agreement and smiled tenderly at me. "Well, you are a pleasant air freshener when you don't smell like werewolf."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," he replied, leaning back on his elbows.

"Why did you finally use my window to visit me?"

Emmett closed his eyes and let out an unnecessary breath. "I didn't get to see you today. I missed you."

"There's more to it than that."

He chuckled softly. "Edward was right, you really are too perceptive. Alice said that your future went black and I wanted to make sure that you were alright."

"That's it?" I asked, not entirely convinced.

"What? Can't I come over to check on a friend?"

"Sure, but you can also call if that is all you wanted."

"Oh, Bella," he sighed. "Since when do I need an ulterior motive?"

I shrugged my shoulders in response. He was right. I was just over thinking the entire situation. Emmett was nothing more than a concerned friend who came over to check on me because Alice couldn't see me when I was around Jacob. Although I was still uncertain why Alice didn't come check on me instead of Emmett. Jasper probably didn't want her anywhere near the werewolves though, that made sense.

"Bella," Emmett said softly, bringing me out of my internal ramblings. "You should sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded my head and held myself together as he left. I would not let Emmett know that it cut me so deeply that he was leaving. I was very thankful that it was Emmett and not Jasper who would be able to feel my pain. In my mind, I could rationalize that this was not the same as what _he_ had done, but in my heart, the pain was just as excruciating. A few minutes after he had left I was sure that he was far enough away to not hear me. I broke down into sobs and cried myself to sleep, all the while praying for a more permanent end to the ache of abandonment I felt.

That night, I dreamt of Emmett. The entire family was there, as was I, playing baseball out in the clearing. Emmett was up to bat. He hit the ball far off in the distance and Jasper rushed after it while Emmett made his way around the bases. He rounded the final corner, skid into home plate, and grinned at me. I looked up to see Edward and Rosalie stalking towards us, the rest of the family had already disappeared. Edward grabbed my arm forcefully and began to drag me away. I reached my hand out towards Emmett. He reached back for me but Rosalie placed herself between us and started shoving him backwards.

As the space between us grew wider, the ache in my heart grew stronger. I was teetering on the edge of consciousness because of the pain I was feeling. Something strong and ice cold touched my forehead. I opened my eyes to find Emmett staring at me worriedly.

"I can't leave you alone for two seconds, can I?"

I shook my head, not yet trusting my voice.

"It's alright," he assured me in a hushed voice. "I don't want to be alone right now either. Go back to sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up."


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

**:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:**

As promised, Emmett was seated in my rocking chair watching me intently when I woke up in the morning. He smiled softly at me as I rubbed my eyes and smiled up at him. His smile was the first thing that I noticed about him. It wasn't his usual smile, large and full of dimples. No, this smile was small and subtle. It was the same smile he saved for when he admired Rosalie when he thought that no one else was paying attention. Again, I felt sympathy for him, knowing that he must have been thinking about her all night and hurting.

"Good morning."

"Good morning to you, too. Sleep well?"

"As well as I could."

"So what's on the agenda for today?"

It was at that point that I realized that I had no idea what to do for the day. I was almost entirely caught up with my homework and Charlie was out fishing with Billy for the day, leaving me alone to do just about whatever I felt like. He had been quite angry with me over the whole Italy debacle, but with Edward gone for a second time, he seemed to feel the need to be lenient with me lest I slip back into the shell of a person I became the first time around. He loved Alice and Jacob equally so I could always use the excuse of going to visit either one without fear of repercussion.

"Well, I need to shower and get something to eat for breakfast."

"Right," Emmett answered enthusiastically. He grinned widely at me, exposing his razor sharp white teeth. "You go shower and I'll make you some breakfast."

I rolled my eyes and snorted at him. "While I appreciate the gesture, we only have so many eggs in this house."

He placed his hands over his still heart and gaped at me in mock horror. "I am the scrambled egg master."

"And what happened to the other two dozen eggs that you murdered?"

His lips twitched up into a wry grin. "Practice makes perfect."

My smile faltered. _He_ was perfect. _He_ had been perfect at everything. _He_ had been too good for me. I knew it the entire time and I still allowed myself to be deluded into thinking that he could possibly want me. My own personal piece of perfection. I was never good enough. No, I could never have perfect. I needed something with flaws, someone with flaws, someone who could be on a level playing field with me. Someone who I didn't worship or idealize, because let's face it, it just wasn't healthy.

"No more perfect." I said it more to myself than anything.

Emmett moved to stand directly in front of me. His strong, icy hands grasped mine firmly and squeezed gently. It wasn't the same as the electric shock that passed between Edward and I, but there was something there. Something was unique about the way he touched me, something that I could not quite put my finger on, yet.

"No more perfect?"

I let out a sigh and reluctantly answered him. "Edward," I cringed at the use of his name, "was perfect."

He nodded at me, thankfully not needing any further explanation. "There was a time that I thought that about my Rosie too."

Emmett gave me a small, sad smile and stood up. He left the room quietly, giving me my space to have my little emotional break down and get myself showered. I lingered for just a minute in my room, just long enough to smell something burning and Emmett cursing at my stove before I finally made my way to the shower with a smile.

:-:-:

Alice was sitting on the porch of their house and waiting impatiently when we finally drove up in my truck. Although the truck was loud enough for her to hear miles back, I'm sure that she had been anxiously waiting for my arrival since we made the decision to come over during breakfast. She was at my door and pulling me out of the truck before Emmett had even shut it off. She pulled me into a tight embrace and flashed a devious smile my direction.

"Go on inside, Emmett. I'm stealing Bella for the day."

Emmett shot me a sympathetic look and jogged inside. Traitor! Maybe this had been the plan all along; trick Bella into a day a casual day at home and then unleash the pixie-vampire on her.

"Now, Bella." Her eyes ran over my form with a look of disappointment. "You need new clothes."

"Alice!" I protested loudly. The sound of both Jasper and Emmett laughing inside rang through the quietness of the air.

"No complaints. My stupid brother has kept you to himself long enough. Now I get some quality time with my best friend." She paused dramatically. "You do want to spend time with me, don't you, Bella?" she asked quietly with a pout on her face.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. She knew just how to work me, just like everyone else in this family. I nodded my head at her in approval and she jumped up and clapped excitedly.

"Great! We are going to have a great time today, I've already seen it. You are going to look fantastic in the dress…"

"Alice!" I snapped, cutting off her rambling. "I'm not wearing a dress."

"Not today, of course," she continued, unaffected by my protest. "But you are going to look fantastic in it so I'm buying it, obviously. And then when the day comes for you to wear it, you will just know. Then you will have to thank me for my foresight."

Alice continued to jabber the entire drive to Port Angeles. I had effectively tuned her out after she had announced that she planned to buy me a dress. She didn't seem to mind my lack of enthusiasm. Ever since Rosalie left, she had been without a shopping partner, and I had been unwilling to oblige her request until she guilted me into it. Even Esme had been unavailable since she and Carlisle only returned home briefly a few days ago before leaving again in their search for their two missing children.

The air outside was cool and brisk but not cold. It was refreshing, really. I smiled to myself. I had grown up loving the blistering heat of Phoenix. When I moved to Forks, I despised the cold and loathed the rain even more. I had desperately missed the sunshine. Yet, when I met the Cullens, when I met _him_, I couldn't help but have a new found appreciation for the cold and near constant cloud cover. The clouds allowed me to see them, to see _him._ My biggest weather gripe had become my best friend.

We walked briskly into the first department store. The one benefit to shopping with a psychic vampire, she knows exactly what she wants to buy before she ever enters the store. We don't have to waste a lot of time 'just browsing' the way I would if I were shopping with someone like Jessica or Angela. Alice quickly loaded both of our arms with piles of clothing, mostly for me. Each time I attempted to protest she quickly cut me off by disappearing behind another rack of clothing only to spring up on me a moment later with more clothes. I think that she prided herself on the fact that she never gave me the opportunity to oppose her.

She eventually steered me towards the dressing room. Well, technically, she all but forced me through the door. I was quite set against trying on all of the clothes since she had already seen that I would "look great" in them. Still, she insisted that it was all part of the experience and that I needed to go through the motions to humor her. When she threw a dress over the door, I drew the line.

"No, Alice! I told you I'm not wearing a dress. Definitely not _that_ dress!"

"But Bella," she whined, "you'll look so beautiful in it."

"Ha! I can't even wear shoes with it."

"I have the perfect heels to match it in my hands right now." From under the door a box was flashed through at me.

My nose scrunched up at the sight. "Seriously, Alice? Heels? Have you not seen me trip on a smooth, flat surface without even moving? I can't wear heels. No, I _won't_ wear heels!"

I opened the dressing room door and stared at her as fiercely as I could. Her eyes widened a bit and she took a step back in shock. Then she began to laugh. A sweet, tinkling, musical laugh. It was so innocent sounding and such a drastic change in mood that I couldn't help joining in with her. Once we both calmed down she slid her arms over my shoulder and sat and leaned her head in.

"You know, you're the one that is supposed to be afraid of me." She was still laughing as she said it.

"I am afraid of you." She lifted her head to look at me skeptically. "I'm afraid of you when you try to put me in a dress and heels."

She shook her head in amusement and quickly gathered all of the clothing. We made our way to the check out line. She smirked as I grimaced at the total and flashed out her credit card. The saleslady swiped it quickly and handed it back, looking very nervous. I whispered to Alice that at least someone was properly afraid of her, eliciting a giggle from her and a confused look from the saleslady.

The drive back to Forks was filled with more endless conversation by Alice. I kept my eyes trained out the window, purposely averting my gaze from the speedometer. The green scenes went by in blurs. It was serene and comforting, even if I was aware that Alice was driving at insanely fast speeds.

Emmett was anxiously pacing the porch when Alice finally parked the car. In less than a second he was at the passenger door and opening it for me. I smiled brightly at him and he returned the gesture, giving me his gorgeous wide grin full of dimples. For a brief moment I forgot about the torture that Alice had subjected me to earlier in the day. While I loved spending time with her, I didn't love shopping.

"You're almost as bad as Bella." Jasper complained from where he leaned against the doorframe of the house.

"Oh hush!" Emmett snapped back. "You missed her too."

"What are we arguing about, gentleman?" My curiosity had been piqued.

"Nothing!" Emmett replied quickly, too quickly.

Jasper grinned at me when I looked past Emmett over to him. He sensed my curiosity and seemed to be intent on answering my unspoken question. "Emmett's emotions have been off the charts almost as much as yours lately." I glanced back sympathetically at Emmett. Jasper groaned. "You two are giving me a headache. Alice and I are going for a run to get away from this..." his words trailed off when Alice locked him in a kiss.

I laughed and waved a quick good-bye to them before they disappeared into the forest, leaving me alone with Emmett. They were hiding something and I knew it. I just didn't know what that something was.

"So." Emmett brought my attention back to him. He tucked his thumbs into his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels nervously. I was beginning to understand why Jasper felt the need to get away from it all. Even I was toggling back and forth between nervousness and happiness quite rapidly.

"So," I repeated back to him.

He glanced over me to the car. The door was still wide open. "Alice tortured you today, huh?"

"Oh, she's harmless really," I sighed. "Unless she is wielding a credit card."

Emmett laughed whole-heartedly at that. I was instantly glad that the tension between us had been broken, though why it was there to begin with I was less certain of. Perhaps he was just embarrassed because of Jasper's comments. I was going to have to get to the bottom of that.

He made quick work of grabbing the shopping bags and leading me inside the house. The smell inside was mouth-watering. Someone had obviously been cooking. Sweet, poignant garlic and a soft hint of tomato hung in the air. Basil, oregano, and a few other spices could be detected as well. Marinara. Someone had made marinara, and from the smell of it, a good one.

"Did you cook?"

He smiled sweetly at me. "I had to do something to pass the time. And as you stated before, someone has to cook for you while you're human."

I smiled back at him. Then I began to process his words. _While you're human…_ Could that have possibly meant that I would be changed? I had to be; the Volturi had threatened all of us with deadly consequences if they returned and I was still human. Of course. That had to be what Emmett meant. It couldn't possibly mean that _he_ would allow me to be changed because he wanted to spend forever with me. No, he didn't even want me anymore. At least Emmett seemed to enjoy my company. Poor Emmett, Rosalie had left him over this as well. As if it wasn't bad enough that my selfishness cost me my happiness, now I was ruining his as well. And out of sympathy he spent his time trying to make me feel better. Guilt consumed me entirely.

Before I had much chance to dwell on those unpleasant thoughts Emmett had rushed back into the room with a spoonful of the sauce. He held it out to me to taste. I smiled cautiously at him, not quite trusting the sauce since I had already seen his luck with eggs. Twice. I opened my mouth as he fed me the contents of the spoon. His eyes were trained on my mouth and darkened slightly as I took the spoon in my mouth and wrapped my lips around it.

Instantly, I was shocked out of my focus and screaming out in pain. The marinara was scalding hot and had burned the inside of my mouth. Tears were welling up in my eyes and I was unable to form a coherent sentence thanks to the sauce. I settled for attempting to fan the contents with my hands, as if that would really help. Emmett's eyes opened wide in realization.

"Shoot! I'm so sorry, Bella! I didn't even realize that it was so hot and then you're human and it can burn you, and I'm sorry!" His rambling apology ended when he reached forward and grabbed my tongue from my mouth, holding it in place between his cool hands. "Here, this should help a little."

I must admit, the coolness of his skin did indeed help to ebb the pain away, but it also left me confused and a bit dazzled. He was so close to me. His skin was on my skin. He was staring at me intently, the darkness in his eyes from before still not receding back to the usual golden tone. I was not afraid though. Instead, I found myself leaning in to his touch. I was teetering on the edge of a line that I never, in my wildest dreams, thought that I would find myself on.

He seemed to sense this as well. He gave me tongue a gentle pat and disappeared into the kitchen again. When he came back with another spoonful of sauce he was blowing on it to cool it. He offered me the second spoonful cautiously.

"Care to try it again?" His voice was cautious but his expression remained hopeful.

I nodded my head and parted my lips. My eyes closed as I savored the taste. It was magnificent, especially since it had been cooked by someone who was utterly repulsed by all human foods. The tanginess of the oregano blended perfectly with the sweet tones of the rosemary and basil. There was a hint of garlic and onion as well. It was perfection in the form of a red sauce.

I finally opened my eyes wide a bright smile. "It's amazing, Emmett!"

He grinned back at me. "Glad you liked it."

"You really cooked this?" I asked. I already knew the answer to that question; nothing out of a jar could taste this delicious.

"I let Emeril teach me."

I began to giggle. "You watched Food Network to cook for me?"

"Like you said, someone has to cook for the human."

There was that word again. It was beginning to sound like I was condemned to remain human while all the people outside of my biological family that meant the most to me were going to live on forever, without me. I would never truly be a part of their world. I can dabble my toes in the water, but I could never immerse myself completely.

"Bella? Is something wrong?" Emmett asked, interrupting my self-deprecating thoughts.

"No, nothing."

He studied my face for a moment before he let out an exasperated sigh. "You're lying to me. I don't like it."

His words disarmed me. I never meant to disappoint him or displease him in anyway. I only wanted to hide my pain from everyone that I possibly could Call me the suffer in silence type. But seeing how upset Emmett was that I was obviously keeping something from him left me scrambling to explain myself.

"I hate that you have to take care of me. I hate that I'm so weak. I hate that I'll never be one of you and that I'm doomed to grow old and wrinkly and die from some stupid, pathetic human condition. And I hate that I tore this family apart and left you lonely and unhappy."

It was quite possibly the longest tirade that I had had in Emmett's presence and I was both relieved and embarrassed to have gotten it out. On the one hand, now he would know why things bothered me. On the other, he would know the depth of my guilt. I wasn't so sure that that was a good thing.

His eyes were compassionate and kind. I didn't see the sympathy or pity that I expected to find in them. That was a relief. I didn't think that I would be able to stand one more person staring at me with pity. I saw that enough at school when people thought that bringing up a topic would send me huddling into myself.

"You didn't tear the family apart. You were just the catalyst in a long string of problems. And I'm not cooking for you because you're human; I'm cooking for you because you're a friend that I'm taking care of."

I rolled my eyes, choosing to ignore the first part of his response. It was a moot point apparently. "I wouldn't need you to take care of me if I wasn't human."

"Bella," Emmett warned. "You know that we can't do anything about that right now. No one in this house has the control necessary to try without killing you."

I staggered back at his words. Emmett appeared in front of me with concern etched across his perfect features. My head was too busy replaying his last words to comprehend anything else. _Right now…_ Did I dare hope that they still intended to change me? Would _he_ be completely disgusted with me once I was changed? Could I make him love me once he could no longer run faster than I could keep up with him? Would I be able to change his mind? Too many questions. Too few answers.

"You still want me to be changed?" My voice shook as I asked.

His concerned expression transformed to one of amusement. "Of course, silly girl. Life is boring without you." He ruffled my hair and smiled gently at me. "I need you as much as he does," he added in a whisper.

"I need you too."

We sat there in silence. No more words were needed. He pulled me into a gentle embrace and I relaxed into him on the couch. The physical contact substantially lessened the aching of my heart. We were both still hurting and looking for a way to ease the pain in our hearts. We both recognized the changing dynamic in our relationship, but admitting that it was changing was more difficult. To admit that I thought about Emmett in a less than brotherly way would have been far too awkward. He was and is still in love with Rosalie, and I am in love with _him_.

Yes, it is possible to love two people simultaneously. Yes, it is quite probable that that is the case at this very moment. Then again, that is to be expected. Emmett and I are working through our losses together. It is only natural that we should feel some sort of connection to one another. I would just be using him to try to replace the hole that _he_ ripped in my heart when he left if I let myself get too attached to Emmett. Wouldn't I?

Maybe I could just ask Jasper to spy on Emmett's emotions for me so that I could judge him better. Although I knew that I would not be too thrilled at the prospect of him doing the same to me. No, it was definitely better to not ask. That would just arouse suspicions, though I'm sure that both Jasper and his psychic wife were suspicious enough already. No doubt they knew that something was changing before I ever admitted it to myself. These perfect vampires and their heightened abilities to tell me about my life or feelings before I could realize it myself was just plain infuriating.

Emmett eventually got up and insisted that I eat the spaghetti that he had cooked for me. I wasn't really hungry but he was persistent and I didn't want to risk hurting his feelings. Besides, it did taste really good. As I ate I watched Emmett watching me, wondering just what thoughts were going through his mind. For a brief moment, Alice's cryptic hint about me being happy with someone else seemed dangerously close to coming to fruition.

:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:

**A/N** I've received several complaints about my revision to this story. All I can say is that the plot is going to be mostly the same, but I want to smooth over some of the parts that don't flow as well together. And I promise updates will be quick and regular. I hope that you can all forgive me and appreciate this revised version even more.

Also, I'll deal with Emmett's POV after this is completed. I'll promise several outtakes from his POV but at this point I can make no guarantees about adding a whole story from his POV again.


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

It had been exactly one month since Rosalie and Edward disappeared. Eventually it had become easier to accept that fact and mentioning his name was no longer crippling to me. Admittedly, the hole that he had ripped in my heart still ached when I thought about him, but the pain was lessening. Emmett had played a key role in my recovery.

He had taken to joining Alice and I at my home for a couple of hours after school during the week. Charlie had been a bit intimidated by him originally, even if he thought his gun would have protected him. Though, who wouldn't be? If not just for his sheer presence in a room, the fact that he was a vampire naturally meant that people feared him. Eventually though, Charlie had come to terms with his lovable nature and had decided that Emmett was a safe friend for me to be around, even if he was related to Edward.

Charlie had a serious sore spot for Edward. I had to give it to him, that man knew how to hold a grudge. Not that I was entirely objecting. After all, Edward had left me twice. He had broken my heart twice. This time was different though. Most of the Cullens had stayed with me instead of abandoning me again. I didn't have the feeling of total loss that had been there the first time. Most importantly, because they stayed, I knew that it was all real and didn't have to constantly question my own sanity.

Esme and Carlisle had temporarily given up their hunt for their other two children after three weeks of searching and had returned home. Esme was worried but put on a brave façade whenever anyone else was near. I'm sure that there was no hiding her pain from Jasper, but he was gentleman enough to not mention it. Carlisle was a different story. He seemed more disappointed than upset. They were both polite to me and insisted that they still wanted me to join their family as soon as I was comfortable giving up my human life. Of course, without Edward, they saw no reason to rush the change.

So, it was on a Friday, exactly one month after the Cullen family was split thanks to me, that I sat with Alice on my bed flipping through fashion magazines. Charlie had already come up and gave us the grunt of approval before heading down to the station after news of a hunting accident in the woods. Shortly after he left, Emmett came bounding into the house with a mischievous grin that matched Alice's at his arrival.

"I love that idea!"

"I know! It's awesome right?"

I sat back perplexed on my bed waiting for them to explain the brilliant plan. The fact that it was Emmett's plan left me wary. After a minute or two of them sorting out details over cars and packing, Emmett finally turned his attention to me. Alice gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and squealed as she ran out of the house to attend to other preparations. I sat back in amazement that something had taken her attention away from fashion so quickly.

"We're going camping!" Emmett announced.

"That's your bright idea?" I asked him, unimpressed. Thoughts of sleeping on a deflated air mattress quickly filled my mind.

"Yep, this one is all mine. We never go camping any more." He looked positively giddy in anticipation.

"And you have to drag me out along with you? What about when I need to have a human moment?" I asked, suddenly very self-conscious.

"We promise not to look as you take your pick of the many trees to squat behind." He said this with a sober expression and placed a large hand over his still heart.

I sat up and slapped his arm, earning a chuckle from him. "Now pack your things, little lady. You're riding with me."

"What about Charlie? He said that there was an accident in the woods earlier. I don't think he will be thrilled with me camping out there right now."

"We'll tell him that you are just staying at the house with Alice. He believes anything that she says anyway. Though I'm not sure why."

Alice quickly appeared behind Emmett and promptly smacked the back of his head. "I heard that!" she hissed at him. "Everyone believes me because I know everything." She looked over him to wink at me. "And I know that you are going to have a great time so stop whining and start moving." She bent down and whispered something in Emmett's ear before tossing an overnight bag at me on the bed. I wasn't surprised to find that the bag was already packed.

:-:-:

An hour later and I was all situated in the front of Emmett's jeep. He took extra time buckling me into his impossible off-road harness. I scowled at him as he jumped into the driver's side and grinned at me. His dimples lit up his face, which was even more illuminated in contrast to his dark curls.

"Don't worry, Bella, you'll love it," he reassured. "Alice has all the fixings to make s'mores for you. She even went and got some stupid designer sleeping bag that is supposed to be all down feathers or something for extra cushion."

I giggled at that. It sounded just like Alice to buy designer camping gear. "Did she remember to bring a mattress for me to sleep on, too?"

He pouted at me. "You don't want to just lean against me to sleep?"

I laughed even louder at that. "Sorry, buddy. As much as I enjoy your company, I'll take the down feathers over cold granite any day to sleep on. It's less painful in the morning."

"Bet you never told Edward that."

His voice was so low that I was sure that I wasn't meant to hear that remark. I chanced a glance in his direction. His expression mirrored the one that I had grown accustomed to in Edward when he was hiding something; blank, void of emotion. For a moment, I considered the possibility that he was jealous of my relationship with Edward, but then he had Rosalie. He had been happily married. He had no reason to be jealous. Did he?

It was then that I remembered Alice whispering to him in my room before I left. My curiosity returned full force.

"What was Alice telling you earlier?"

My voice was barely above a whisper but I knew that he would hear me over the loud roar of the engine. I wasn't sure that I wanted to know the answer but my curiosity had, like usual, gotten the best of me.

"What are you talking about?"

He was going to play innocent. It must have been something interesting if he was avoiding the conversation. Well, that just gave me more incentive to figure it out.

"After you insulted her and she smacked you in the head she whispered something to you and left. What did she tell you?" I repeated firmly.

"Oh," he sighed. "You saw that?" I nodded in response. "She was just warning me."

I sighed in exasperation. Maybe a mallet would help me pound the answers out of him. "About what?"

He chuckled nervously and patted my leg. "She warned me that I should go hunting after we get to the campsite." He turned to me and smiled brightly, flashing his perfect white teeth.

"Oh!" I practically yelled in realization. "Do you… um… well, I wouldn't mind… do you want to stop now? To hunt?"

Emmett smiled affectionately at me. "I have better control than they give me credit for. It's something that Jasper and I can relate to," he added with a wink.

Of course. Jasper had always been considered the weak link in the family thanks to his previous non-vegetarian lifestyle. I had just assumed that the rest of them never strayed from their chosen lifestyle. It made sense, the more I thought about it. It made sense that Rosalie and Emmett would have taken off to live on their own as a couple from time to time and they would have been tempted to indulge in their natural food source without the constant pressure of the family to keep them in check. If Emmett had ever wanted to stray from his vegetarian lifestyle, there was very little holding him back, quite literally. The thought gave me a small shudder.

"I scared you again," Emmett commented. His usual playfulness was gone and a calm, serious expression plagued his face. "I'm sorry."

"No!" I shouted. "I'm not scared. More like I was thinking about the people that died to give Alice reason to warn you to hunt."

"Just two people," he corrected. "One slip is all it takes and those two, well, no offense to you because you do smell really mouthwatering, but they were just irresistible. Sort of like how you are to Edward. They don't judge me, but they do watch me closely. I'm not like the rest. Esme has had many more years of practice than I have even after her slips. Rosalie was too upset about what she became to ever give in, like Carlisle. Alice had no idea what happened to her so no one can blame her for her feeding habits until she found us. Edward strayed, but he did it intentionally. Jasper, well, he used to live off humans so it is all too natural for him to lust after the blood regularly. Mine was a complete slip, and not all that long ago either."

"How long ago?" I asked quietly with a small amount of hesitation. I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to know, but my insatiable curiosity couldn't be quieted apparently.

"About thirty years ago," he answered stoically. He glanced over at me from the corner of his eye and his knuckles visibly tightened on the steering wheel.

I let out a soft giggle. "Not that long ago?" I repeated his earlier statement to him as a question. "That was before I was even born!"

He let out a repressed laugh. "I guess time means something different to you when you live for eternity."

My good humor left me instantly. "Yes," I quietly agreed.

"Bella?" Concern laced his tone.

"Nothing, Emmett. Really, it's nothing," I replied. He cocked his eyebrow in my direction to let me know that he didn't believe me. It reminded me of when he was frustrated with me keeping things to myself after shopping with Alice. With a resigned sigh, I began to explain.

"Time means something different for me, too. I get to spend all this time with all of you, living in a world that isn't meant to exist; but it has to end. Eventually I have to move on with my life. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret a single moment spent with you, or Edward, or your family, but it won't last forever. I can't keep you all in my life forever. It would be too suspicious.

"And without Edward," I choked slightly, "there is really no reason for me to live forever with you. He already made it perfectly clear that I am an unwelcome addition to your family. The same goes for you and Rosalie. Once I am gone from the picture, she won't have a reason to stay away and you two can go back to normal with your lives. You two can move on from this and be happy again.

"Basically, I need to learn to let go. I need to learn to live my life as a human because that is all I have anymore. I'm being selfish by inserting myself in this life. I'm hurting everyone. Esme and Carlisle are still grieving over the loss of their children. Alice and Jasper are missing their siblings and friends. And you, you're missing your wife and mate. It's time for me to let go and let you all be happy in your lives again."

As soon as I finished speaking, I broke down into a fit of hysterical sobs. I didn't even notice that the jeep had stopped and that Emmett was no longer sitting next to me until I felt the cool grip of his strong hands pulling mine away from my tear stained eyes. He placed my arms around his neck and quickly undid the harness that held me in place before scooping me up into a gentle embrace and rocking me quietly. He let me cry myself out to the point of exhaustion, never once letting me go. When my sobs quieted into muffled sniffles, he relaxed his grip on me to play with the hair that was matted around my face from my tears.

"Life can never go back to normal with me and Rosalie."

"What?" I asked, turning my face up to his. His gaze trained off in the distance, refusing to meet mine.

"Rosalie walked out on me, on us. Things can never go back to the way they were." He inhaled and looked down at me. "And you, Bella, are most certainly not causing anyone pain nor are you keeping them from being happy. Alice is happy that she still has her best friend. Jasper is happy that his wife is happy, and his thoughts are private," he added with a chuckle. "Esme and Carlisle worry, but this isn't new for them. They are perfectly fine.

"As for me, considering the circumstances, I couldn't be happier. I have you as a friend and moral support. You're going through the same thing as me and can relate to me in a way that no one else can. Just like I do for you. I've told you before, and I'll tell you again. Bella, I need you. You can't even comprehend how much."

He gave me a gentle squeeze and placed a small kiss on my forehead. The skin tingled from the contact. It wasn't the same heated sensation that I felt after Edward's kisses. It was something different entirely. His touch made me feel all warm and tingly on the inside, not at the point of contact.

"Emmett?"

"Yes?"

"For a vampire, you really aren't that scary."

He laughed at me. I was glad that the previous mood was finally broken and we continued on down the road. He parked in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. He grabbed all of my things with ease and threw me over his shoulder as he ran through the forest to the campsite. I complained and kicked the entire way until the nausea from the speed settled in, forcing me to keep my mouth shut. Emmett seemed to find that especially humorous and made jokes at my expense, taking full advantage of the fact that I was unable to respond.

When he stopped running, my feet never touched the ground. Instead, I was transferred from one set of cold arms to the next. Alice was smiling at me when I looked up in shock.

"So glad that you could finally join us."

"We weren't that slow," I protested.

"Oh please! Anything done at human pace is ridiculously slow."

A scowl crossed my face as she turned around. I couldn't help myself from muttering, "there is a solution to that."

Alice came to a sudden halt in front of me and spun around with a wide grin. "Don't worry, that's still a part of your eventual future."

She smiled and winked before she turned around and skipped off to the tent. My eyes widened to the size of saucers as I stared after her. Emmett's massive hand slapped me across the back, effectively knocking me, quite literally, back into reality.

"Welcome to the family, Bella," he said with a dimpled grin. He set my things down and raced off into the nearby forest for a quick hunt.

I walked into the tent with my things. Alice had, indeed, purchased a designer sleeping bag for me. It was bright red with thin pink pinstripes. It was softer than anything I had ever felt. She did not bring a mattress but there was a large pile of plush blankets layered underneath the sleeping bag. That was much smarter than sleeping on an air mattress and hoping that it didn't deflate sometime during the night. I gave her that much credit.

Carlisle had already started the campfire when I emerged from the tent a short time later. Jasper was sitting back cautiously and attempting to hold Alice in place from her incessant bouncing. Esme smiled affectionately at me as she held out a plate with hot dogs on it. I took a seat between her and Alice. Carlisle wordlessly handed me a stick to roast my hot dogs. I had to smile at the contrast between this quiet campfire and barbeque in opposition to the rowdy one with the werewolves just a few weeks before.

Alice jumped up and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Sorry, Bella!"

I barely had time to furrow my brows in confusion before a set of icy hands shielded my eyes. For a brief moment my pulse accelerated before I realized that I was surrounded by vampires that would never allow harm to come to me. It was both soothing and utterly embarrassing. They could all hear the increase in my heart beat and smell the blush in my cheeks that gave away my momentary panic.

"Emmett!"

He slid his hands off my eyes and plopped down on the log next to me in the spot vacated by Alice laughing loudly. "We have witnesses. I scared you!"

"Emmett, manners!" Esme scolded.

Carlisle and Jasper were both stifling laughter. I narrowed my eyes at both of them, which only made them laugh even harder. Eventually, I caved in and laughed with them. Esme still tisked and shook her head in disapproval at Emmett, though a traitor smile played upon her dainty lips. Alice landed in Jasper's lap with a devious grin and twinkle in her eyes.

"Traitor," I mumbled in her direction.

She stuck her tongue out at me childishly in response. Jasper pulled her in close to him in a lover's embrace. I turned my focus away from them, allowing them their private moment. Esme and Carlisle were embraced in a similar way. I had to turn away from them, too. Emmett was fascinated watching marshmallows roast over the flame and puff out in response. I turned back to Jasper and Alice who had locked eyes. It was almost too passionate to watch. Yet, I couldn't tear my eyes away.

I found myself longing for what they had. My heart was aching again. All the memories of Edward and I in a similar position inundated my mind. I managed to control the sob that threatened to escape my throat, but the onslaught on grief and longing gave me away. Jasper quirked an eyebrow at me as a wave of calm enveloped me. I smiled appreciatively, albeit sadly, at him.

"Bella?" His voice was apprehensive.

All eyes turned to me instantly. That did absolutely nothing to help the blush in my cheeks. "Sorry." I wasn't sure what I was apologizing for but it seemed appropriate.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "So, Alice," he began nervously.

"I haven't been able to see anything."

We all knew what that meant. Carlisle wanted her to look into Edward and Rosalie's future to see where they were or what they were planning. If he could pinpoint where they were through her visions then he and Esme could go to intercept them and bring them back home.

"Could you please try again? Maybe if I decide to look again it will help your vision change."

Alice closed her eyes and pressed her index fingers to her temples in concentration. For a long moment, we watched on as she sat there motionless. Suddenly, her hands flew down and gripped the log beneath her firmly. Her eyes glazed over as she stared off in the distance. Her mouthed formed an 'o'. Her focus came back almost as quickly as it left.

"They found Victoria," she said quietly. Jasper tensed next to her as he waited for her to continue. I couldn't tell if it was in reaction to what she was feeling or in reaction to the rest of us. "They attack her in two days. It looks like Edward is in Seattle and Rosalie is hiding in the forest just southwest of the city. Victoria is going to be ambushed by Edward near where Rosalie is hiding." Alice looked up to gauge our reactions. "They will both be perfectly fine; they come out without a single scratch."

It was eerily quiet for another minute while everyone absorbed the information that Alice had just provided us. Carlisle was the first to break the silence. "Are they coming home after that?"

"I still don't know. They haven't decided anything that far in advance yet. It's like they are purposely skirting around any decisions that they know I will see. This is the only major decision they have made in the last month."

Emmett's arm wrapped protectively around my waist. I looked up at him in surprise at the gesture. He glanced down at me with a sad smile before turning his attention back to his family. I was curious, to say the least, but there was a more pressing issue at hand.

"Alice?" he asked patiently. "What do you see in my future in the next week?"

"Why are you asking me?" she asked, furrowing her brows deeply in confusion. "You're the one that makes the decisions; I just see them when you do."

"Humor me/"

She opened her mouth to protest but instead snapped it shut and closed her eyes. When her eyes opened again she glared at Emmett.

"You're going to make this much more difficult than it has to be. People will be hurt."

"So it will work." Emmett's answer was oddly confident.

"I'll find a way to stop you. This isn't how it was supposed to happen."

"It doesn't look like you have a choice," he countered.

"Enough!" Carlisle interrupted. They both looked at him with wide eyes. Carlisle may have been smaller than Emmett, but the authority that he exuded did make Emmett humble before him. "We will discuss this tomorrow. For now, I would appreciate if you would refrain from bickering like wild animals. Let's just enjoy the evening."

Everyone agreed quietly. Each of the Cullens took a turn telling about their most entertaining hunting trips to pass the time. Carlisle's involved a shark during his swim across the English Chanel. While swimming without breathing wasn't hard to do, draining the body of his prey was a bit more tricky. Esme told us about her first time in South America when she went after an anaconda.

"I just remember hating snakes as a human," she explained. "I figured hunting one would be doing a service to another human in the world. I didn't realize how slippery they were though."

She had emerged from the Amazon River drenched and battered, but still full. Jasper went into vivid detail about how repulsive the taste of animals was for him for a long time and how he could barely drink from the animals before giving up on his kill for several months. It was only when he was very deeply thirsty that he acquired a taste for it just a substitute for the dry ache in his throat.

Alice's story, like her, was colorful. She created the vampire version of a sampler platter while she and Jasper were on their first honeymoon in Australia. Her victims ranged from rabbits and birds to kangaroos and dingoes. Of course, she had determined that the animals with the brightest colors were the tastiest in any species and those animals with more red were the best.

Emmett had been prepared to tell us about the first grizzly that he had taken on before Jasper groaned and rolled his eyes. "What's so interesting about you going after a bear, Em? You wrestle a bear anytime you get a chance. I swear you and your grudge against that first one is just ridiculous!"

Everyone laughed at that. Eventually I grew tired enough to sleep and said good night to everyone. Alice accompanied me as I prepared for bed. She sat quietly, brushing my hair. The fire outside the tent was doused. There were no noises outside, save for the occasional cricket chirping or hooting of an owl.

I waited a good fifteen minutes before I had the courage to speak. "Alice? Is everyone else still here?"

"No," she answered, her voice just above a whisper. "They all left for a quick hunt."

"What did you see?" She would understand what I meant.

She didn't answer immediately and her hands paused mid-brush. "Emmett isn't going to accept Rosalie back as his mate." As she spoke she resumed her brushing.

I sucked in a deep breath. "Then why were you upset? Isn't it his choice?"

"Bella," she sighed exasperatedly. "Could you _please _try to notice fewer things?"

I giggled softly. "You love me for it."

"Yes, I do," she admitted, her voice held a smile in it. "In not accepting Rosalie back, it makes Edward second guess whether or not you will accept him back. He won't be returning to the family anytime soon now."

My disappointment was palpable. Underneath it, though, I was secretly excited. The love of my life was not coming back to me because Emmett could not forgive Rosalie. I failed to see how their relationship could have such an impact on ours, but then again, I understood his concern. Yet, Emmett did not want to take Rosalie back after she left him. Should I be so willing to welcome Edward back with open arms this time? He had left me twice already. What could possibly stop him from leaving me a third time? Nothing. Absolutely nothing would ever stop him. Instead, I silently rejoiced that Emmett was unwilling to accept Rosalie and hoped against all rational thought that I was the reason for that.

"Sleep, Bella," Alice commanded gently. "You'll need your energy tomorrow."


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

**I also do not own Tim McGraw nor the song "Good Morning Beautiful". Though I do wish that I could sing as beautifully as he does. Trust me, you don't want to hear me sing…**

Sleep found me easily. There were so many emotions for me to sift through, so much information to absorb; it was exhausting. There was the fact that Emmett seemed agitated every time that I mentioned Edward. Yes, I could chalk that up to the fact that Edward had been a major catalyst for a lot of emotional turmoil, not only for us as a couple, but for Rosalie and Emmett as well. Emmett was bound to harbor some ill will and resentment towards him. Yet, I couldn't shake the suspicion that there was more to it than what I was seeing.

There was also the fact that I was beginning to look at Emmett in a less than brotherly way. He had been nothing short of supportive with me. He had even taken up cooking here and there, despite his various failures, just for me. He wanted to help take care of me. I was becoming entirely too caught up in it all. All Emmett wanted to do was help make this easier for me because I was like a sister to him and it hurt him when I was hurt. That and I was a distraction from wallowing in grief over losing Rosalie thanks to my insistence to join the family. Instead, I was taking advantage of the situation and using Emmett as a fill-in for Edward. He had the same ice cold, marble skin, the same piercing topaz eyes, and the same way of dazzling me unintentionally. That was the problem. He dazzled me, unintentionally. And instead of remembering that he was a fill-in, I was beginning to wonder if maybe, just maybe, there was hope that he could ever be anything more. That maybe we could be something more. It was stupid of me and bound to end in disaster.

Another point of concern was Alice. She had been having more visions than lately, all of which seemed focused on me. If it wasn't something about my future going blank inexplicably, it was me being happy with someone other than Edward. She always refused to tell me who that was and it was beginning to irritate me. Shouldn't I be privy to information that related to my life?

On that note, there was also the fact that Emmett had just decided that he would not accept Rosalie back as his mate. At least, not immediately. Edward would not be returning to me because of this. While I was immensely disappointed and a little distraught over this, I was also slightly relieved and more than a little excited at the prospect of more time with Emmett. He and I had such a great time together. If and when Edward did come back, I didn't think he would appreciate my time with Emmett. He could find a million reasons to argue that Emmett wasn't careful enough with me.

Which brings me right back to the root of my problem; I could not allow myself to see Emmett in a romantic way. He certainly did not think of me in that sense. Did he?

My sleep was interrupted by arguing outside of the tent sometime in the middle of the night. I felt rested enough that I was not immediately grumpy about having been woken up. From my estimates, I had only slept a few hours, but that was enough.

"You bloodsuckers aren't the kind of protection that I had in mind!" The voice, the derogatory words, it had to be Jacob.

"I can assure you, no harm will come to her in our care." That was Carlisle. His voice was always cool and composed with an air of authority that no one dared to question.

"Forgive me if I don't immediately trust someone that wants to suck my blood."

"Trust me, mutt, no one here wants to drink _your_ mangy blood." Emmett's taunt made my lips twitch up in a smile.

"Emmett," Carlisle cautioned.

"You're still a filthy bloodsucker."

"Regardless what you believe about us," Carlisle sighed, "we mean absolutely no harm to Bella. She is perfectly safe here with us. I assure you that no one will watch over her more diligently than my family. And no, we do not want to drink her blood. Bella is family; you don't eat family."

I had to snicker then. _You don't eat family!_ Of course, that small noise was enough to alert everyone around me to the fact that I was awake and eavesdropping on their intense conversation.

Immediately, a large shadow appeared, from the miniscule moonlight, at the doorway of the tent. Emmett appeared before me faster than I could register the zipper being pulled down. He was smiling a wide grin at me. I hadn't realized how much I missed him before I went to sleep for the night until that moment. I smiled in response, despite the fact that I knew Jacob was just a few feet behind him and pissed.

"Bella, we've got some unwelcome company. I'm sorry that he woke you up. Do you want me to play fetch with him while you go back to sleep?" His dimples were accentuated in shadows across his pale face that was gorgeously illuminated in the moonlight. I was momentarily dumbstruck just watching his perfect features.

"I don't play fetch with anything except spare vampire parts before I burn them."

I sighed, bringing myself back to reality. I still had a situation to diffuse. "No, Emmett, but thank you. Jacob is harmless and really does mean well. He can be a bit annoying at times," I added in a louder voice to emphasize the point. "But all in all, he is truly harmless. He would never hurt me. I trust him as much as I trust you and the rest of your family."

As I finished speaking I was suddenly, and nearly violently, ripped from my sleeping bag and placed in the back corner of the tent. Emmett crouched protectively in front of me while facing the now open doorway as it swung gently in the evening breeze. I looked over Emmett's shoulder to see Jacob frozen in the entryway and glaring at Emmett.

"Jake, don't move," I commanded. "Emmett, relax. He won't hurt me. Neither of you will hurt me."

"You just don't get it, Bella! They are dangerous! They could drain you of all your blood in the blink of an eye if they had the chance!" Jacob's protest was accentuated by the violent shaking of his body.

"No one here wants to drink Bella's blood," Emmett replied coldly, venom lacing his every word. "In case you haven't noticed,_ dog_, we are vegetarians. We don't live on human blood."

"Sure, sure. Vegetarians don't kill. You do."

"So do you."

"But I don't mindlessly drain animals of their blood and discard the carcass like yesterday's trash," Jacob replied, rolling his eyes. The tremors in his body were finally subsiding.

"First, we sustain ourselves with what we need to survive, nothing more, nothing less. Second, we don't do it mindlessly. And third, would you rather we pile the carcasses in front of your reservation for you to properly dispose of?"

"Whatever. You'd still be all over Bella's blood in an instant if given the opportunity and I won't allow that to happen."

Emmett glanced back at me with a wink. "Bella is family. We don't eat family," he told Jacob, reiterating Carlisle's words earlier than had made me snicker.

I snickered again, giving Emmett the reaction that he had been hoping for, and causing Jacob to glare that much more furiously at him. He began to tremble again and I realized that he was getting too angry and was dangerously close to phasing.

"Alright boys, enough arguing. I'm not on the menu and that is really all that is important here," I said with an exasperated sigh. "Now, why are you here, Jake?"

"I was on patrol and I came across the scent of vampires so I immediately followed it. Somewhere along the way I came across your scent mingled with it and found this group here," he explained as he gestured just outside of the tent. "I had to make sure that you were safe, Bells. I don't like leaving you alone with these bloodsuckers."

First I was flattered that he cared enough about me to be concerned about my welfare. That was quickly replaced by exasperation, though. No one seemed to trust my judgment as far as my safety went. I guess I was never going to live down the time that I willing went to James to save my mother.

"Jake! I already told you that I am just as safe with them as I am with you. You have to learn to trust me. I don't know how you ever expect me to love you if you can't trust me and my judgment."

It did not escape my notice that at the word love Emmett tensed in front of me. It almost appeared as if he were hurt at my mentioning possibly being in love with Jacob. That could not possibly be the case though. He already knew that I was in love with Edward, and he was in love with Rosalie. Why should it matter if I was in love with Jacob? Because Jacob was a werewolf; his sworn enemy. That's why.

"Bells, I trust you. But can I please take you home now?" Jacob pleaded with me, both with his words and with his eyes.

I shook my head slowly. "No, Jake. I'm staying here tonight. You're on patrol anyway. I promise that I will come visit you tomorrow though. Deal?"

He glanced between Emmett and I skeptically before nodding his head in acceptance. "Not one scratch on her" There was an implicit warning there for Emmett.

"I would never hurt her."

Emmett grudgingly moved aside to let me past as Jacob held his arms out to me. I gladly obliged and hugged him wholly. He was so warm, so comforting. But he was not what my heart desired. I wanted the cool embrace of my vampire. I wanted the kind of heat that erupted from my skin after the coolness of his touch lit me on fire. I didn't want to literally smolder in constant heat from being in Jacob's proximity. No, Jacob was a great friend, and gave the best hugs, but he was not who I wanted.

Jacob disappeared into the night after that. Emmett was still waiting silently in the tent when I turned around to climb back into my sleeping bag. Although I was no longer tired, I was a bit chilled from being in the cool air with nothing but my flannel pajamas on. He gave me a half-hearted smile as he watched me climb into my makeshift bed.

"You do know that I would never hurt you, right?"

I was startled at his question. Had I ever given him reason to believe that I did not completely trust him? It must have been Jacob's accusation that was the foundation for his faltering confidence.

"Of course," I replied with a smile. "It's only natural for you to want my blood, I know that. But I trust you with every inch of me that you don't want to drink it."

He shook his head with a scowl. His eyebrows knit together in frustration. "That's not what I meant, Bella. I meant that I will never hurt _you_. I would never betray your trust and break your heart the way that Edward did. You know that, right? You know that I would never allow harm of any kind to come to you?"

I was taken back by his words. Everything had just become so intense. I knew what his words meant, but I could not wrap my mind around the concept. Emmett had just told me that he would never break my heart. He would have to have my heart in the first place to make such a claim. Undoubtedly, he already did. I had never told him that though. How could he have possibly guessed?

"I believe you." There was nothing else that I could say.

He nodded appreciatively at me. "You should sleep now. Get some rest while you still can. I get the feeling that your _friend_ will want you to do some serious explaining tomorrow."

I sighed but accepted his suggestion as I snuggled deeper into the warm layers of the sleeping bag. "Emmett?" He met my gaze. "Stay with me?"

"Of course." He chuckled slightly. "Silly human. Afraid of the big, bad wolf."

I slapped at his bicep lightly. "I'm not afraid. I just like the company when I sleep. I don't like feeling like I'm alone."

He became serious at that. "I will never leave you alone. For as long as you want me around," he whispered close to my ear, "I will always be here with you."

I didn't think it would have been possible to sleep after that. Somehow, though, I managed to fall back asleep. It must have been the comfort I felt in knowing that Emmett was nearby. I had long since become dependent on my vampire teddy bear for sleeping. It was yet another way that I was entirely too attached to him.

Emmett's words replayed through my subconscious as I slept and echoed throughout my mind in the form of various dreams. I couldn't possibly allow myself to hope that he cared for me in the way that I was beginning to care for him. Rosalie would be back in just a few days and they had their relationship to work out. They were mated, bonded for all eternity. I had no room to become involved in that equation.

Even though Emmett had made his mind up not to accept Rosalie back right away, that didn't mean that he wouldn't eventually. I could not allow myself to become emotionally attached to him only to have my heart broken when he left me for her. It would be incredibly stupid of me. My frail, human heart could only break so many times before it was incapable of repair. Eventually, loving these mythical creatures would be the death of me. Of that I was sure. There would be no need for the Volturi to step in.

When I woke in the morning, faint traces of light were beginning to break over the horizon. Emmett was still seated next to me, smiling at me as I awoke. We both diverted our attention back to the view outside of the thin cloth of the tent where the sunrise was beginning. The sky was illuminated in cascading shades of crimson and soft pink hues. The burnt orange overtones began to give way to the soft rays of golden sun as it rose and settled in the morning sky.

"_Good morning, beautiful_," Emmett sang to me.  
"_How was your night?  
Mine was wonderful, with you by my side.  
And when I opened my eyes and see your sweet face,  
It's a good morning beautiful day._"

I blushed and tried to cover my face. Emmett was not having that though. He gently pried my hands away and looked directly into my eyes. His liquid amber eyes pierced through my own. It was as if he were trying to look directly into my soul, searching for something. Searching for what, I could not be sure.

"Bella, Bella, Bella." His cool breath floated across the small space and invaded my senses, intoxicating me with his presence.

"Emmett," I breathed out in response, my eyes shutting involuntarily as I leaned towards him.

His cool hands gingerly cupped my cheeks and pulled me closer to him. I opened my eyes just enough to see our faces inches apart. His eyes were closed and his lips parted. His beautiful face contorted into a sad grimace as our foreheads met and he brushed the tip of his nose along mine.

"Tell me that you need me. Tell me that you want me," he pleaded in a whisper.

The words slipped easily from my lips. "I need you, Emmett." I couldn't force myself to admit that I wanted him. Not aloud anyway.

He smiled softly as he began to pull me closer to him. My eyes shut, waiting for the moment when he would kiss me. I was ecstatic, nervous, anxious, and scared all at once. This would be a defining moment in our relationship; there would be no going back to our platonic selves after this. And I was clearly beginning to over-think the entire situation.

"Rise and shine oh friend of mine!"

Alice's interruption made me shoot back and open my eyes in surprise. Emmett still had his eyes shut tightly, as if he were trying to will away our intrusion. Alice was perched in the entry of the tent with a bright smile and knowingly cocked her eyebrow at me.

"Alice," Emmett hissed through clenched teeth. His hands were still wrapped around my face.

"Bella needs breakfast and a human moment. Besides, you got to spend all night with her. I want some quality time with my best friend too!" She pouted her lower lip out at me.

I groaned and blushed all at once. First, she had just announced my private human needs like it was the most casual of conversation. Then, she pouted at me in the way she knew I was incapable of resisting. It was utterly unfair and she knew it. One day I was going to find a way to be just as annoying to her.

Emmett reluctantly let me go. His eyes were filled with regret as he held my gaze for a fleeting second before pulling away and running off into the trees. My eyes followed the path that he had taken until Alice called my attention back.

"Well that was certainly interesting." I winced, expecting her to reprimand me. "I have to say, I'm surprised that it has taken you two this long."

Now she had my full attention. "What do you mean that it has taken us this long? Did you see that happening and fail to mention it to me?"

"Of course I saw it happening." She shrugged. "And forget the fact that the tensions and emotions flying between you two is enough to drive Jasper insane right now, because it is. You two have been building up to this ever since Rosalie decided to leave with Edward."

"What else have you been keeping from me, Alice?" I tried but ultimately failed to keep the hostility out of my voice.

"Would you have really wanted me to tell you this sooner? Would you really have felt better about yourself, knowing that you still love Edward but were going to inevitably fall in love with Emmett? Wouldn't you have doubted yourself every step of the way? Wondering if you were doing everything because you wanted to or if you were simply doing it because I had told you that it was what I saw in your future? Is that really what you want, Bella? Do you want me to tell you every move that you will make in life and take all of the choice and free will out of it for you?"

Her words were accusatory, but her tone held nothing but curiosity. She was absolutely right. I would not have wanted to know. Sure, I would have liked to know that Emmett had been feeling the same way as I was before I began doubting myself. But ultimately, I would rather know that what I did was a result of my own decisions and not because I had been told that it was what I was destined to do. This was something that I know I would have fought against and refused to accept. I never would have let Emmett in because I would have clung so desperately to Edward.

"I'm sorry, Alice," I apologized. "It's just that it is all so confusing for me right now."

"Do you want to talk about it?" She pulled me down to sit with her on top of the sleeping bag and handed me a thermos of steaming hot cocoa and a pop-tart.

I glanced around the campsite to see who else might have been listening to our conversation. While I knew that everyone had to be in the loop at this point, it didn't make it feel any less wrong. I was about to admit to having romantic feelings towards Emmett and I didn't want an audience when I did it.

"Emmett has been so understanding and helpful for the last month. I know that you care about me, as well as Jasper, Esme and Carlisle. But you don't truly know how it feels. Emmett does. He lost Rosalie in the same sense that I lost Edward… again. He knows the kind of pain and loss that I am feeling.

"It all got so confusing though. There were times that Emmett was just Emmett. He was my fun-loving friend, nothing more and nothing less. Then there were times that he made comments or held me in a way that suggested he was thinking about me in a less than friend-like manner. And to be honest, there were plenty of times that I thought of him in a less than brotherly manner too. I just brushed it off because I figured that I was misinterpreting things.

"Then last night, he wanted me to know that he would never hurt me after Jacob left. Not just in the vampire sense, he wanted me to know that he would never do anything at all to hurt me, physically or emotionally. He promised to stay with me for as long as I wanted him to be. And, well, you heard what happened this morning."

Alice nodded her head at me. "Well, that is different than I expected. You are both so reserved about this that I am beginning to question whether or not anything will come of it," she mused aloud.

I thought over her words. Something about the night before came back to me then. Something that I had glossed over in order to ask other questions. Now, it seemed as if that may have been just as pertinent and I had just discredited it.

"Alice? What did Emmett mean when he said 'it will work' when he decided not to accept Rosalie back?"

Alice's pale skin grew paler as she registered the question that I had asked her. She shook her head slowly as if denying me a response. I was about to call her out on it when her eyes glazed over and she lost herself in a vision.

"That mongrel has the worst timing." Her tone was petulant and her expression sour.

That certainly wasn't what I was expecting to hear. I glanced around the campsite again looking for Jacob but saw nothing out of the usual. Carlisle and Jasper had appeared and were busy collecting all of our things and packing up.

"Really, Alice. What did you see?" I prompted, hoping to distract her from whatever Jacob had done to mess with her visions.

"I was trying to see your future this afternoon to tell you how it would work out with you and Emmett, but your future went black again. It just doesn't make sense," she muttered to herself.

"And what about what Emmett meant before?" I asked, bringing her back to my original question.

"Isn't it obvious?" She cocked her head to the side while looking at me with a face of pure curiosity. Then she laughed as she realized I truly did not grasp it. "He doesn't want you to take Edward back. If he took Rosalie back, even though he loves her unconditionally, you would do the same with Edward. Emmett doesn't want you to be hurt again. He cares about you too much to see you go through that pain a third time on my brother's behalf."

That certainly was not what I had expected to hear. Actually, I had no idea what I had expected, but that was certainly far from it. Hadn't Alice just told me that Emmett cared for me? That he had been feeling strong emotions for me as well? Perhaps I was just misinterpreting everything lately.


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

**:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:**

Alice had me fed and dressed in no time. Carlisle and Esme smiled sympathetically as she paraded me around the campsite to show off the new clothes she had bought and all but forced me in to. The jeans were nice; dark and casual. The shirt was a different story. It was a midnight blue, scoop neck shirt with ruffled sleeves and an empire waistline. At the center of the top were two crystal buttons for decorative purposes. It attracted far more attention than I was willing to hold. The silver, metallic, open-toed flats that she had chosen to accompany them screamed disaster as well. I could very easily stub my toe without full frontal protection in them. They did, however, match the small silver clutch that she insisted I carry with me. She had already explained that since she couldn't see my future with Jacob that I needed to be prepared for anything. Obviously, for Alice, being prepared meant severely overdressed.

Alice had also insisted on being the one to drive me to the treaty line where Jacob would be waiting for me. She claimed that she really just wanted some quality girl time with me, but I saw right through that charade. There was something else that she wasn't telling me; something that had to do with Emmett.

When I questioned her about him she said that she would explain after I returned home that night. There was a distant look in her normally sparkling eyes. She was hiding something and I could tell. It bothered me that she was keeping secrets from me. She was my best friend. Best friends share everything with one another, especially boy talk. Usually I wouldn't delve into this as I like to keep to myself. But this is Alice that we are talking about. She never passes up an opportunity to gossip or make love predictions; or predictions in general. That could only mean one thing; whatever it was that she was hiding, it was _that_ bad.

:-:-:

Jacob was propped up outside his car on the side of the road waiting for me with a goofy grin when Alice pulled up. His nose automatically scrunched when Alice stepped out of the car with me and he sent a scowl in her direction.

"Like you smell any better to me," she told him with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I just wanted to warn you that if she isn't returned to me in perfect condition by five tonight that you will have hell to pay."

"She's safer here than she is at your coffin, bloodsucker."

"Enough!" I interrupted. "I'm tired of my best friends fighting. Will you two please try to get along for two minutes?"

Alice sent me an apologetic smile and Jacob huffed in annoyance but otherwise nodded his head in compliance. Alice hugged me quickly and skipped back into her car, waving and calling out that she would be back at five to collect me. As soon as she was tucked inside her car, Jacob enveloped my in a nearly bone crushing hug.

"Good to have you back, Bells! And looking really good, too. Expecting a hot date today?"

I blushed and tried to shake off his compliment as I sat in the car next to him. He drove in silence down to First Beach. The entire drive he kept stealing sidelong glances at me, though I did my best to ignore it. I sincerely hoped that we were not about to have a repeat of the conversation that we had the last time that he was alone with me in a car. If that were the case I would be more than willing to tuck and roll out of the car and suffer those consequences instead of the consequences of having to reject Jacob yet again. How could he possibly understand that only a vampire could hold my heart? That only a vampire held my heart?

Thankfully, Jacob did not feel the need to break the rather uneasy silence. He merely drove until we reached the cliffs at the edge of the beach. Once parked, he hopped out of the car and I followed suit. I followed him down the trail to the beach. He walked down to the water's edge and plopped down rather ungracefully on a log and patted the small space beside him as an invitation for me to join him.

"You care about him."

It was an accusation. I sighed loudly. "Of course I love Edward."

"That's not who I was talking about, Bells. The big guy that was all protective of you last night. You look at him different than the rest. You care about him."

Jacob had always been incredibly perceptive about me. He was spot on that I cared about Emmett; he just had no idea how right he was. Of course, I would never admit that to him. While I could discuss a lot of things freely with Jacob, loving vampires was not exactly easy conversation.

"Emmett and I are in a similar situation right now. His mate left him when Edward left…"

"You said his name," Jacob mused with a smirk, interrupting my speech. "Twice now."

"And?"

"You're getting over him. The last time _Edward_ left, you couldn't say his name until after he came home. Same thing just a few weeks ago when I saw you. Now a month later and you can say his name without hesitation."

"Anyway," I continued, choosing to ignore his comment. "Emmett understands how I feel and can relate to me because he is feeling that same hole in his heart right now."

Jacob looked at me quizzically. "You know he doesn't have a heart, right?"

"Jake, he has a heart. It just stopped beating a few decades ago."

"Agreed. But how can his heart ache if it doesn't even beat?"

I punched him lightly in the shoulder, aware that I did not want to come out injured by attempting to damage mythical creatures. "You _know_ what I mean, Jake."

"Sure, sure. You're getting over Edward and your buddy is emotionally distraught. You two are quite the pair." He smiled at me brightly. "I'm still bored out here most days. I do my regular patrols and just wait around to see you, you know?"

"Jake!"

"What? I'm just saying that you don't have to go sulk with your bloodsucker buddy. You can come here and hang out with someone with a pulse once in awhile. You know? Remind yourself that you're alive and all."

"Duly noted."

Honestly, I know that Jacob was just looking out for my best interests. No matter how he felt about me, in the end, he would want me happy. Granted, I doubt he would willingly extend that to a vampire given the choice. But this was not about seeking Jacob's approval or permission. Jacob just needed to come to terms with the fact that I always had, and always will, just consider him a great friend and nothing romantic.

"So, what do you want to do today?"

"How about another round of cliff diving?" I asked excitedly.

"Cliff diving?" he questioned with a smirk. "You do remember what happened the last time you went cliff diving?"

"Yes, I know. I wound up nearly dead because I was stupid enough to do it alone." I folded my arms across my chest defensively.

"That, too. But I was referring to the fact that the last time you went cliff diving you ended up bringing Edward back home as some sort of screwed up result. Are you sure that you aren't subconsciously trying to do the same thing now?"

I had to pause and examine that. Really, I would like to believe that I just wanted to go cliff diving for the heck of it with my good friend. But, was I subconsciously trying to relive the event that ultimately reunited me with Edward before in hopes of reuniting with him a second time? I wasn't even sure that he would return to me this time; not after the vision that Alice had. Besides, while I was in Jacob's company Alice wouldn't even see what we planned to do. Even if she could, she had no way of contacting Edward.

What's more, I wasn't sure that I wanted him to return just yet. I wanted him to wallow in agony and depression as penance for leaving me for a second time after just barely returning to me. He knew how much it hurt me the first time. He knew how badly broken I had been. He had to know that I would fall apart again and he left anyway.

The problem was, I didn't fall apart this time. It hurt, yes, I can admit that. I was teetering dangerously close to my breaking point again. But I never quite fell over that edge; not with Emmett there to catch me before I fell.

Emmett. Suddenly I found myself craving his company. It was a strange feeling. I always enjoyed my time with Edward and I was usually anxious to see him. It was similar with Jacob that I missed my time with him and was anxious for time that I could spend carefree with him. Yes, I missed them both when I wasn't with them, but this was different. Thinking about Emmett, it was almost painful how much I missed him. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to run as fast as humanly- pardon the pun- possible to reach him.

Jacob nudged me. He was silently telling me that I had escaped into my own thoughts and had yet to answer him. He knew that I was working through my thoughts and emotions and needed a minute to figure out what I wanted without interruption. Like I said before, Jacob always was incredibly perceptive when it came to my quirks.

"I suppose that you're right," I muttered in concession. "How about if we just go hang out in your garage for the day? You can teach me how to change the oil or tire or something."

"Seriously, Bells? You don't know how to change a tire?" He shook his head at me in mock disapproval. "Alright, let's go teach you some real life lessons."

The rest of the day with Jacob was spent comfortably. We joked and talked easily about school and the pack gossip. It was almost as if the past month had never happened and we just picked up back where we left off in an easy, carefree friendship.

He was visibly relieved when I mentioned that Alice had had a vision of Edward and Rosalie killing Victoria. Apparently she had been too close for comfort a few times before and was starting to make the pack anxious. He explained that she was the reason for their increased patrols. I had suspected as much to be honest so I couldn't find it in me to be upset that he had withheld information from me.

Before I knew it, it was nearly five and Jacob was dragging me reluctantly towards the car to take me back to the treaty line to meet Alice. He joked the entire trip about my needing to make excuses to my vampire baby-sitters to visit him more often. He said that they should look at him as my pet since they insisted on referring to him as a dog. Of course, I mocked him saying that I was not going to be responsible for his feeding and clean-up if he was, in fact, my pet. That earned a hearty laugh from him.

When we approached the treaty line, it wasn't Alice that was waiting for me. Emmett was propped up against the side of his jeep with his arms folded across his chest and watching Jacob's car approach anxiously. Jacob began to tremble beside me when he spotted Emmett. I instinctively reached out for him and rubbed his arm soothingly to try and calm him down. He gave me a small smile and calmed slightly.

Emmett was still as a statue as we approached. Even his blazing amber eyes were unblinking as his gaze stayed fixed on me. I opened the door to the car hesitantly. I was anxious to see Emmett again, and I really wanted nothing more than to throw my arms around him. But the thick tension surrounding us was suffocating and making me unsure of my actions. Emmett's focused stare was more than a little unnerving as well. I didn't like the fact that it appeared that he could see right through me and my intentions and didn't seem pleased by it.

Jacob was at my side a few seconds after I exited the car. He put his arm around my shoulders as we walked slowly towards Emmett. I couldn't be sure if he was doing it as a precaution for him or for me, though. His trembling had calmed but there was still a slight quiver in his body.

I decided to break the silence after realizing that neither Jacob nor Emmett were particularly inclined to speak to one another. The silence was excruciating.

"Where is Alice?"

Emmett answered so quickly I barely saw his lips move. "She sent me so that she and Jasper could have some time alone together."

"Oh," I replied, my tone disappointed. I guess Emmett was just the messenger, not here willingly like I had hoped.

Jacob squeezed my shoulders lightly, likely sensing my discomfort and wanting to offer what little support he could. At that moment, thanks to Emmett's standoffish attitude and Edward's refusal to come back to me, I wanted nothing more than to be able to let myself love Jacob the way that he loved me. It would be easy once I got started. All I had to do was allow myself the possibility of loving something other than a vampire. Unfortunately, I never had a choice in who or what I loved.

Emmett let out an unnecessary breath. "I'm sorry, Bella. Let's get you home before your dad starts to worry."

I nodded at him and turned to face Jacob. He gave me my favorite goofy grin and hugged me fiercely for a long minute before letting go. Then, I walked over to the passenger side of Emmett's jeep to climb in for what was going to be a long ride home. Emmett surprised me by appearing at my side before I could open the door. I refused to look him in the eye as he strapped me into his jeep to take me home.

I kept replaying the interaction in my mind, utterly confused. Just earlier today I had been missing Emmett so much that I couldn't wait to see him and was willing to throw away my day with Jacob just to be with him that much sooner. Now he was here and appeared irritated at that fact. Obviously I had misjudged everything again. He had never wanted me. He just didn't want me to be hurt by his masochistic brother again and didn't want me around werewolves for similar reasons. Traitorous tears began to well up in my eyes at that revelation. I fought them back, unwilling to spill tears over something as silly as a crush on someone that was supposed to be a brother to me.

Five minutes later Emmett abruptly pulled the jeep over alongside the rode and shut it off. He turned to face me with a pained grimace. I watched him from the periphery, still refusing to meet his gaze head on.

"Bella, I think I should apologize to you." I nodded for him to continue, not quite trusting my own voice. "I didn't mean to seem so cold back there. I was… less than thrilled to see you with him. And then he put his arm around you…"

"You were jealous?" I asked, caught off guard by his admission.

He smirked at me for the first time that day. "I thought that Jasper was the one that could read emotions.

"You were jealous!"

"Is that a crime?"

"Not in the state of Washington."

"Well, in that case, can you forgive me?"

I looked up at him finally. "There is nothing to forgive."

He smiled at me, big and full of dimples. It wasn't the infamous crooked grin of Edward's, but it was just as breathtaking. His razor sharp, white teeth shone brilliantly in the light. His eyes sparkled with amusement. He appeared simultaneously innocent and mischievous.

"So I was thinking," he began. "You should go have dinner with your dad since you haven't seen him much in awhile. Then when he goes to bed for the night maybe I could come keep you company?"

"You mean sneak in through my bedroom window," I stated. He grinned at me sheepishly. I pretended to consider for a moment. "That's the best idea you've had yet, Emmett. I love it!"

:-:-:

When I walked inside Charlie's home my nose was assaulted by the aroma of marinara. For the briefest of moments, confusion and panic set in. Had Charlie seriously tried to cook for me? Wasn't he supposed to be at work still? Who cooked?

Just as I thought that, Emmett appeared before me in the kitchen. He had even thrown on a black apron with blood red lettering that read 'I'd tell you the recipe but I'd have to kill you.' Oh the sweet, sweet irony! I laughed at him and walked up the stairs for a quick human moment while he finished dinner.

I couldn't believe that he had cooked for me. Not just for me, he had cooked a meal for my dad and I. All this after I had just spent an entire day with his mortal enemy. I had thought it before about someone else and now I would think it again about him; he really was just too good to be true. And it was too good to waste on silly things like "human" moments. I rushed back down the stairs as quickly as I could manage.

"You know you didn't have to do this, right?" I was still too flabbergasted to think to compliment him.

"I wanted to."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Bella. I like doing things for you. I like taking care of you. I know that you're an independent woman, but it's nice to let someone take care of you once in awhile. Isn't it?"

This conversation was quickly taking a turn from him cooking dinner for me so that I had one less chore to do, to him doing something for me because he wanted me to let him care for me. I didn't entirely object to the idea. I was more curious about the motivation prompting it. After all, he and I had spent hours together lately, but that didn't mean that he needed to take it upon himself to look after me.

"I appreciate the gesture, Emmett, I really do. But it isn't your responsibility to look after me. And you don't have to feel obligated to pick up the slack just because Edward isn't here to do it either."

"Bella," he sighed. "I said I wanted to take care of you. I meant that, honestly. With or without Edward, you are an amazing woman, one that I would be honored to have the privilege of caring for."

My emotions were beginning to cloud my judgment. While I sincerely appreciated the gesture, it made me feel like Emmett cared about me, _really_ cared about me. His emotions were flipping from hot to cold in less time than it took for me to blink. First he appeared irritated, angry even, when he met Jacob and I. Then he was apologetic in the car and confessing to being jealous. Now he seemed as if he were trying to impress me. His mood swings were nearly as bad as Edward's. It must be a vampire thing.

"What about Rosalie? Shouldn't you be concerned with taking care of her right now?"

His smile faltered. "Rosalie isn't here now."

"That's exactly my point. You should be going after her now that you know where she is. You should be trying to take care of your mate."

He shook his head slowly at me. A small grin began to creep up to the corners of his mouth. A small dimple highlighted each of his perfect cheeks.

"My mate," he repeated quietly. I nodded slowly at him. "And what if she was no longer my mate?"

That comment took me completely by surprise. I had longed to hear something to that effect from him, but I have never allowed myself to hope for it, not consciously. Yet, here we were. He was suggesting that Rosalie may not be his mate any longer. There was only one obstacle left in this equation.

"I still have Edward."

"Hmm…" he hummed, his grin growing even larger. "And if Alice is correct and he doesn't plan to return? Would you rather grow old without him?"

I knew what he was suggesting. I would be a fool to misinterpret what he was telling me now. I still could not bring myself to accept it so easily though. I needed him to tell me bluntly, to tell me in true Emmett fashion exactly what was on his mind.

"I would rather you tell me exactly what it is that you are thinking. Is Rosalie your mate?"

Emmett pulled me into a tight hug. "Not if I can help it," he whispered into my ear. "Do you really want to give Edward another chance after all that he has put you through? Do you really want to risk giving him your heart for him to hand it back to you again? Or would you rather take a chance on someone else? Would you rather take a chance on me?"

My breath caught in my throat. My heart began to beat frantically. Emmett's close proximity, his cool breath wafting across my face, and his unrelenting embrace was too much. I knew what I wanted, but he was dazzling me out of consciousness.

"Emmett, you're dazzling me," I murmured against him.

He chuckled as he pulled back, still keeping his hands on my shoulders. "I forget how easy you humans are to distract." He paused and tensed. "Your dad is home. I'll see you in a few hours, sweetie." He winked and ran up the stairs.

My dad walked in not even a minute later and sniffed appreciatively. He made quick work of removing his jacket and gun belt while I set the table. He commented minimally, giving me small praises on the food. I abstained from saying anything about it since I didn't want to lie to him about making the spaghetti and garlic bread dinner. My dad seemed content enough that I was at home with him on the weekend, though, and didn't question my quiet behavior.

After dinner I practically sprinted to my room after washing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen. Unsurprisingly, Emmett was not there. That didn't change the fact that I was disappointed. I busied myself by pulling out my homework to occupy the time.

A couple of hours and a massive trigonometry headache later, I decided to give up on my homework. I sat up from my desk and turned around to grab my pajamas but was instead startled by Emmett standing behind me and leaning as if he had been watching me over my shoulder. I clasped my hand over my mouth to prevent myself from screaming out and alerting Charlie. Emmett smirked at me. I slapped his chest in my annoyance and had to bite my tongue to stop myself from yelping in pain, although that one might have been easier to explain to Charlie if he had heard it. Emmett backed away and threw his head back as he laughed silently at me.

"You are such a strange little human."

"And you," I said while poking his chest, "are a cruel vampire that likes to try and frighten this strange human."

"Admit it, Bella. I scared you." He winked and grinned at me.

It was impossible for me to stay mad at him. The way that his dimples lit up his face and the playful gleam in his eye softened my heart every time.

"Alright, now that you are done scaring your human, what do you want to do?"

"_My_ human?" he questioned, quirking his eyebrow with a suggestive smirk.

The blush that covered me was quick and forceful. I tried in vain to cover my face with my hands but Emmett was quicker. He gently pried my hands away and forced me to look at him. Despite my humiliation, he asked again, with a larger grin, and waited patiently for my answer. When I had no reasonable explanation to give he decided to break my awkward silence for me.

"Is it too much to ask, that I want you for myself?"

I hesitated for just a second before replying. "Is it too much to admit, that I am falling for Edward's brother?"

He leaned forward slowly and bent down to my level. His strong hands cupped my cheeks firmly but gently as he pulled me towards him. His cool, marble lips grazed my own. A low purr emanated from him as he kissed me. It was slow and sweet. My lips parted slightly as his cool tongue slid into my mouth, massaging my own tongue and tasting his deliciously sweet venom. My own arms wrapped around his neck and my hands played in the soft curls at the back of his neck.

All too soon, he pulled back. My fingers reached up to touch my lips. They were still cool from the contact with Emmett's lips. He reached across to trace my lips with his own fingers.

"So warm. So beautiful," he murmured.

I smiled warmly at him and reluctantly gathered my things to go change for bed and have my human moment.

Emmett sat in my rocking chair as he waited for me. Where Edward had been my personal Adonis in that spot, Emmett was a paler but much more alluring version of Hercules in the same place. He was my hero. He was saving me not only from Edward, but from myself. He was saving me from any more unnecessary heartache. He was saving me from a lifetime of misery knowing that I could never love a human as much as I could love a vampire. I loved him for that. I loved him.

When I returned to the room he joined me on my bed. I snuggled deep into the blankets and nestled myself into the crook of his arm. We talked for hours about my day with Jacob. When I mentioned the cliff diving to him, he suggested that he take me another time. Apparently the thrill of jumping off a cliff was too much for him to resist and he found it incredibly attractive that I could have such reckless abandon. After hearing his positive reaction to the cliff diving, I mentioned the fact that Jacob had previously taught me to ride a motorcycle. To this, he beautifully scrunched his nose in disgust. He preferred his jeep over a motorcycle. He claimed that he was too large to ride a bike without looking ridiculous. I had to laugh at the image that my mind conjured for me, only proving his point.

Eventually, sleep found me. Emmett gently coaxed me to give in and get some rest. I protested, not wanting to waste time with him. He convinced me by promising that so long as I wanted it, he would ensure that I was changed to a vampire after my graduation as previously agreed upon in the family vote.

:-:-:

The next day was uneventful. Charlie had the day off work and spent it down at La Push with Billy. I spent the day at home with Emmett. We talked and walked a little in the woods behind the house. He made sure that I was fed often enough for my human needs. He claimed that it was irritating but I could see in his face that he was enjoying the chance to take care of me.

I couldn't help but wonder if Rosalie ever let him take care of her in anyway. She obviously had no need for him to cook for her. But I wondered if she ever allowed him to do simple things such as running a bath for her or brushing her hair. I had a feeling that she did not.

By the time that Monday came, I was exhausted from spending so much time with Emmett as I scarcely allowed myself to sleep when I was in his company. It was such a new experience, the rush of first experiencing love with someone. I didn't want to miss a single moment of it. Of course, it didn't help that Emmett never needed to rest. That thought sent my mind into a tailspin of other possibilities that I had me blushing without saying a word.

My day passed quickly. Alice chattered away endlessly about her plans for a graduation party during the lunch period. While I strongly disagreed with her need to throw a graduation party for me, she ignored me. She claimed that the graduation party was for both she and I, and Edward should he return in time. I wasn't fooled; I knew that the party was for me since this would be my first of many graduations and the only one that I would experience as a human.

Charlie had called to let me know that he would be working late so Alice insisted that I come over to the house with her after school. She knew how anxious I was to see Emmett again. He had been out hunting again while I was in class and was just returning to the house when we arrived. Alice and Jasper took the opportunity to slip out for their own hunt after she advised me that I needed to tell Emmett soon. What I was supposed to tell him, I had no idea.

As Emmett and I sat in his room watching television, a thunderstorm began suddenly. The clap of the thunder cause me to jump and Emmett laughed at me in response.

"Sure, a little storm scares you but being a house of vampires is just a normal day," he remarked while shaking his head at me in disbelief.

"I was startled, not scared."

Then, for good measure, and because Alice was rubbing off on me, I stuck my tongue out at him. In that same instant his mouth was on mine. He kissed me in a frenzy, not taking the time to be as gentle as he usually was with me. His cool mouth attacked my own as if he needed this to survive; not just the blood that ran through my pulsing veins, but the kiss, the love, me.

He broke away, resting his forehead against my own. When I opened my eyes I found that his were still shut but that he had a serene look upon his face and a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Thanks for the invitation," he said quietly. "I've been waiting to kiss you all afternoon."

"Me too," I admitted shakily.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"I'm not worried about physical pain, Emmett. I've hurt myself plenty of times that a little bruise here or there is nothing major. It's the heartbreak that I can't handle. The heartbreak is what renders me useless."

"I'll never break your heart," he promised, looking deeply into my eyes. His own liquid gold eyes sparkled brilliantly with emotion. "I may take away its beat, but I will never break it."

I nodded at him, not trusting my voice. I finally realized what Alice meant when she told me that I needed to tell him. I needed to tell him that I loved him. I needed to prove to him that I was just as committed to this as he was.

I never got that chance.

"Emmett?"

We both turned to find Rosalie standing in the doorway looking very confused. She glanced briefly at me before resting her gaze on Emmett. Her eyes were wild with confusion and even a little anger and her clothes were slightly tattered so that they hung off her body suggestively. Even then, she was more beautiful than I could ever hope to be.

"Rosalie?" My heart broke as I heard the longing in his tone.


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

To say that I was in shock would have been a severe understatement. My heart clenched the moment I saw Rosalie in the doorway and was shattered as soon as her name slipped from Emmett's lips with longing evident in his voice. The only thing keeping my heart from being crushed beyond repair was Alice's optimism.

She had rushed into the room not two seconds after the brief exchange that I witnessed and promptly taken me home without a word to anyone else. Emmett never removed his eyes from Rosalie as Alice whisked me away. That did nothing to help the pain in my chest that was threatening to cripple me yet again. Jasper couldn't bear to be around me and left Alice to her devices to try and lift my spirits. The fact that I was beyond even his help dealt another detrimental blow to my shattered confidence.

Alice took it upon herself to write me a note excusing me from school for the next day. I wanted her to excuse me from school for the rest of eternity but she refused. At that moment, all I wanted was for some wayward vampire to find me, smell my apparently alluring blood, and mindlessly drain me to end my existence. I even suggested that Alice take the chance since I had interrupted her hunting trip with Jasper. She merely rolled her eyes at my dramatics and told me to have a little faith.

Faith, unfortunately, was not something that I had a lot of at that moment. How could fate possibly be so cruel as to bring me into the world of the supernatural only to have my heart broken three times in just under nine months by said supernatural beings? Fate would have to be some sort of screwed up, sick and twisted creature herself to find such a thing acceptable or amusing.

Alice had suggested that we drive south to Portland for the day to go shopping. I nearly asked her why we didn't just go to Port Angeles or Seattle since they were so much closer until I remembered that Edward would be nearby. I couldn't be sure if we were going south because I wasn't ready to see Edward yet or because Alice didn't want me to see him yet. Either way, I was thankful that if I had to spend the day shopping that it would at least be spent with further distance between myself and both Rosalie and Edward.

About Emmett I was less certain. On the one hand, I was hurt and I couldn't be around him; at least, not with Rosalie around where we couldn't talk in private. On the other hand, I needed to talk to him. I wanted to be right there with him, in his less than careful arms, where I belonged.

Shopping with Alice was exactly the distraction that I needed. She dragged me through the stores at inhuman speeds even as I urged her to slow down. Each time she would laugh, her tinkling laughter filling the entire store and tell me not to be unreasonable. She claimed that she would know if she did anything that would result in her secret being found out. Instead, she pointed out that my perception of speed was merely skewed because I was sluggish and dragging my feet instead of being upbeat as we raced through each store.

Between the marathon distance walking, the sprinting speed, and the weight lifting of several heaving bags of miscellaneous clothing pieces, I was exhausted. As I clambered back into the car for the drive home I was too tired to even ask her to stop for food. This had probably been the entire point of the trip; to distract me and exhaust me instead of allowing me to dwell on the fact that I had just realized that I was falling in love with Emmett when Rosalie, his mate, walked back into his life.

And I still had no idea where my relationship with Edward was headed. I was tempted to ask Alice if she had seen another change in my future but decided against it. At this point I wasn't even sure of my own path so anything that she could predict would reflect that.

I wondered about Edward. Did he still want me? Did he still love me? Those weren't even the important questions though. What really mattered was what I felt. Did I still love him? Of course, always. Did I still want him? In a purely physical, lustful way? Yes. In an emotional, bonded way? I don't think so, not anymore. So what would I do if I were in Emmett's position? What would I do if Edward suddenly returned to me? Exactly what he had done; I would look at Edward reverently, knowing I was still in love. There would be time after the initial shock to work things out.

Except, that wasn't what I was allowing with Emmett. I was jumping to conclusions and allowing myself to wallow in self-deprecation because I had not allowed him time to react to the suddenness of Rosalie's arrival. I was being selfish. I was thinking about my own wants and needs without taking even a moment to consider his. Emmett needed his chance to talk to Rosalie. He needed his chance to… wait.

Did he even want this? Were we even on the same page? He had wanted to kiss me, of that I was absolutely certain. But did he want anything more? I refused to allow myself to believe that I was simply a physical stand-in while Rosalie had been gone. Yes, I will be the first to admit that they had never been modest about their very physical needs in their relationship. But that didn't mean that they didn't love one another and care for each other on another level as well. And though Emmett would certainly be anxious for a certain physical release, that did not mean that he was using me as a means to an end. Jasper would have sensed his insincerity towards me. Alice would have seen it. Neither one of them would have allowed him to hurt me like that.

When I awoke Wednesday morning to the screeching of my alarm I rolled over, crumpling a piece of paper lying next to me on my pillow as I swatted at the irksome device. In my sleep induced haze my fingers clawed at the paper, wrinkling it even more. I finally flipped on the lamp on my nightstand and held the paper a few inches in front of my face as I lay in bed waiting for my eyes to adjust to the light. The first thing that I noticed, the handwriting was beautiful, but not elegant, and it lacked the feminine swirls of Alice's letters; this was Emmett's penmanship.

_Bella,  
__I'm sorry. Please believe me when I say that I will explain this all to you soon.  
__Emmett_

No explanation could possibly be necessary to explain or justify the fire that seared my heart at those words. No explanation could possibly be fitting as to why my life was doomed to be a series of tragic love affairs. I did not want an explanation. I wanted death. A quiet, peaceful, easy death. The slow, torturous death that I was experiencing now for having loved a supernatural creature was too much to bear.

I kept my sobs muffled before I realized that Charlie had left early for work before I let loose my emotions and my tears. I cried for myself. I cried for Edward. I cried for the Alice, Jasper, Esme and Carlisle. I even cried for Rosalie. But I did not cry for Emmett. He had promised me not even thirty six hours before that he would never break my heart; he lied. For that, I had no tears for him.

A cool hand brushed my damp forehead in the middle of my breakdown. I leaned into it welcomingly. A second hand wrapped around my waist, drawing me nearer to them. My tears began to subside, my labored breathing calmed, and my trembling body stilled in the tender embrace. I wanted to savor this feeling. It was euphoric compared to the painful breakdown I had just experienced. So I stayed where I was, greedily taking in the tingling coolness on my skin and the warmth of my heart at being wrapped in an icy, marble embrace for as long as possible.

At last, my curiosity overcame me. I needed to open my eyes to see who was there comforting me. It was the person that I had least expected to see that day, and also the one that I had been dreading the most; Rosalie.

"Hey." Her voice was soft and she smiled sadly at me.

My curious, and slightly alarmed eyes must have made her second guess her hold on me as she immediately withdrew her arm and pulled back to sit up in the bed.

"I had to get away from it all for awhile. I needed time to think about everything that Emmett and I talked about yesterday. I just happened to be near the area when I heard you crying."

My eyes widened. She caught it. "Not like that! I promise. I inadvertently ended up here. I wasn't seeking you out for revenge. I swear to you, Bella."

Thoughts of revenge hadn't even crossed my mind yet but they made me wary now. My voice shook as I tried to ask a question. Fear, however, seemed to paralyze my vocal cords.

"I didn't realize that you were hurting so bad because of me," she explained.

"No," I interrupted, finally finding courage to speak. She seemed calmed and rational anyway. "You aren't the reason for this," I said, gesturing down my body.

I was covered in sweat and tears, the saltiest concoction available if ever there was one. The pillow was soggy from collecting the moisture. My dampened hair clung to my forehead and cheeks in tangled strands. And I was lying in bed next to Rosalie freaking Hale, the supernatural goddess of beauty herself.

"Bella," she scolded. "I know what is going on between you and Emmett. He told me how much he loves you…"

"He loves me?" I asked quietly. I needed to hear it again, but I was almost afraid of what the words might do to me.

She shook her head and scowled at the bed. "I didn't mean to say that. I meant that he cares deeply for you. He would not want to see you in this sort of despair."

"What happened between you two?" I needed to know. My happiness was inexplicably tied to her answer.

"From the beginning?" she asked warily, casting a sidelong glance in my direction. I nodded in confirmation. "That night of the vote, I was so angry at everyone for wanting to bring you into the family. You just don't understand what you are giving up, Bella! You haven't thought this through at all and I can't sit back and be happy about that. I just can't. But they were. Everyone but Edward was so happy to welcome you in as though you weren't giving up the miracle that human life truly is. To make matters worse, Emmett was excited about the prospect of you as his 'kid' sister. He was taking your side over mine.

"At the time it was nothing but hatred for your decision, not you, just your decision, and anger towards Emmett that fueled my own rash behavior. Edward had just fled again and my first instinct was to join him. I needed to be as far away from it all as possible to clear my mind a bit. I figured that some time away from them all and from you would give me the space that I needed to accept what was happening and come to terms with the decision. But in the back of my mind I kept replaying the anger that I felt towards Emmett and couldn't quite grasp what the root of it was.

"I caught up with Edward eventually. He knew I wasn't following him to try and bring him back to the house so he allowed me to accompany him. He had decided that he would seek out Victoria again to destroy her. Apparently, he thought that once she was destroyed there would be no further threat against your life and that you could remain human without any immediate danger."

"But the Volturi…" I began. She held her hand up to silence me.

"He planned to disguise your scent when they finally arrived to check up on you. We would stage your death so that our thoughts would reveal that if Aro asked for one of us to confirm it. He had the entire thing planned in this big, elaborate way. It was typical Edward if you ask me," she added with a small smile that did not escape my attention.

"I decided that I would help him. My reasoning was simply that with less threat on your life you may not deem the change as necessary. At the very least, there might be the possibility of you moving on in his absence and not desiring this life. So I went along with him.

"The day that we destroyed her I began to miss Emmett. I raced back home as fast as I could. I couldn't even be bothered to slow down when I heard Alice chasing after me and pleading with me to wait for a moment. We've all learned to wait where Alice is concerned. Her visions very rarely steer us wrong. Yet in that moment, none of it mattered. Nothing mattered except getting back home and back to Emmett.

"That's when I heard the two of you talking. Emmett said that he would never break your heart. I swear to you, Bella, if my heart were still beating, it would have broken at that very moment. By the time I spoke to Emmett, Alice was already rushing in to take you away. I never planned to hurt you so I don't know if she was acting on impulse or because of a vision. But please believe me when I tell you that I never wanted to hurt you."

"I believe you," I whispered.

"Thank you." She sat up a little straighter and began speaking again. "Emmett and I argued initially. He was too upset about Alice whisking you away to want to speak to me. And I was positively irate that he was more interested in you than he was in me. It didn't take long for me to understand why Alice wanted me to wait. She was looking out for your best interest. She didn't want to see you hurting from losing a friend in Emmett the way that you are now.

"At first, I thought that you two were just close friends. That is, until he began to tell me about cooking for you. It was so completely out of character for him. Emmett doesn't try to take care of people unless it involves physically damaging something. In all the time that I have known him, he has never tried so hard for anyone. I suppose that makes sense though. I mean, what does he actually _need_ to do for me?

"Basically, Bella, what I am saying is that I understand why you are so hurt. You grew attached to Emmett in the absence of Edward and I. And he grew attached to you as well. It was only natural for this to happen, even if our worlds were never meant to collide. I can't fault either of you for taking solace in the other. I would apologize again for your heartache, but I think that is an apology that only Edward could provide."

Rosalie squared her shoulders and looked straight into my eyes. Her caramel eyes reflected the sweetness of her tone. She wanted me to be comforted in the fact that Emmett cared about me and she knew it. I had yet to discern whether or not she was accepting of it, but that she knew it was enough for now. I had crossed a boundary somewhere with Emmett and here was his mate and wife, talking to me about it, not ripping my limbs apart. That had to be a good sign, right?

She sat patiently and quietly, waiting for me to process all that she had shared with me. Though I had listened carefully to everything that she told me, there were only a few points of interest to me. First, Edward was after Victoria to end any immediate threat on my human life. He also planned to hide me from the Volturi. That meant that he had no immediate plans, nor any long term ones, to change me and allow me to spend eternity with him. Second, Rosalie had viewed me being changed as a threat. Enough so that she had willingly joined Edward to destroy Victoria in hopes that it would prevent my being changed. Third, Emmett cared about me and possibly loved me. Rosalie had admitted so much without even realizing her own words. That fact alone made me near giddy with excitement.

Finally, the silence got to be too much. I excused myself for my human moment. I needed the time away from her scrutinizing stare. While I showered I allowed myself to scrub away the pain and sorrow that I had felt. If Rosalie and Emmett were back together then she would not have needed a moment away from it all; they would be busy making up in typical Rosalie and Emmett fashion. But she was not. Emmett had been here to leave a note for me and now Rosalie was seated on my bed waiting to talk to me. I refused to give up on this just yet, which meant that I could not waste time feeling sorry for myself and falling to pieces.

When I returned to my room I discovered that Alice was sitting on the rocking chair across from Rosalie glaring menacingly at her. Rosalie's arms were crossed and she had an indignant look upon her perfect face. Alice smiled sweetly at me when I walked in.

"Good morning, Bella! You're looking better. And you need to get ready for school. Trust me, you can't miss today."

I grumbled out my response but still walked downstairs to grab a pop-tart before heading outside. The thought of leaving the two of them upstairs in my bedroom didn't cross my mind a second time. I knew that they would leave when they were finished with their nonverbal argument.

Inside my truck, attached to the steering wheel, was another note. This one was definitely in Alice's flowing handwriting.

_I'm sure that you know this by now, but you should never bet against me. You also have a pop quiz in trigonometry today. Good luck!_

One should never bet against Alice. Yes, this is true. Everyone that knew her knew better than that. What I didn't know was to what it was in reference to. This was typical Alice; leave me some cryptic note and expect me to work through it. Honestly, it irritated me to no end that she was more than willing to elaborate about fashion and gossip but when it came down to her visions or the future in general, she was downright enigmatic.

I didn't even have a chance to appreciate her forewarning about my pop quiz because I was so deep in thought trying to figure out what she had alluded to. That only served to worsen my mood. Figures that I would gloss over the one clear portion of her note. I grumbled under my breath as I walked out of class. Jessica walked next to me and interpreted my foul mood to the fact that we had just had the quiz.

"I know, right? That was totally unfair. I mean, like, finals are in just a couple weeks. They shouldn't be giving us tests this close to finals."

"Yes, but I should have studied."

"Whatever. I should have studied too. If I had known we would have a test today I would have." She smiled over her shoulder as Mike passed us in the hall.

"I did," I muttered under my breath.

Apparently that was loud enough for Jessica to catch. Her attention shifted back to me quickly. "Really? You knew we were going to have a test? Why didn't you study? Why didn't you warn me?"

"I mean, I just had a feeling that we would have a quiz today," I quickly corrected.

"Huh. Weird. Well, I think that you have been hanging around Alice too much lately. She gets all these weird feelings about things too. She's starting to rub off on you. Did you know that she told me that she had a 'feeling' that I would be happier if I didn't date Mike? Something like I would end up settling for less than I was meant for and all…"

I tuned out the rest of Jessica's one sided conversation when her words clicked. Alice had told me that she had seen me happy with someone other than Edward the night that he left after the vote. Then the morning of the camping trip she told me that she was surprised that things had not progressed between Emmett and I. It all made perfect sense now. She saw Emmett and me happy and did not want to influence me one way or another because it was such a complicated situation. Her note this morning just confirmed it. She still saw me happy with Emmett. I just needed to wait for the storm to pass.

:-:-:

Alice was waiting for me inside the cab of my truck at the end of the day. I should have been alarmed that she was so bold as to break into my truck in broad daylight in public. Then again, this is the same woman that stole a Porsche in Italy. Inconspicuous she is not.

"How long?" I asked, knowing that she would understand.

"Just a few more hours before Rosalie gets mad and leaves again."

"What happened this morning?"

Alice's face betrayed a brief moment of panic before she regained her composure and answered. "Rosalie and I were just discussing… renovations at home."

I allowed that to pass though I knew there was more to her statement. Whatever it was probably concerned me since she was being elusive with her answers again. Like I said before, when it comes to shopping and fashion she can babble for the rest of eternity; but when it involves my future, she can speak in perfect circles and change the subject before you can blink.

Charlie was home early from work. I made him a quick dinner with some of the fresh fish that he had caught over the weekend, along with some baked potatoes complete with sour cream and chives and steamed vegetables. He was secretly appreciative of the healthy eating habits that I forced upon him, especially after Harry's heart attack. That didn't mean that he didn't grumble about having to eat "rabbit food."

After dinner I got his permission to go to the Cullens. Alice had told me after school that it would only be a few hours before Rosalie left and that was three hours ago. I was probably pushing my luck, but I was anxious to see Emmett. Of course, Alice had already seen my plans and was at the front door waiting for me before I ever made it out of the kitchen. She said a quick hello to Charlie and we were on our way.

"I'd tell you that this is a bad idea, going over while she is still there and in a mood. But I can already see that you're going to be stubborn about this. And she might leave sooner with you there. So let's get this over with."

Just as anticipated, the Cullen home was in chaos when we arrived. Jasper was standing outside trying to escape the torrent of emotions that everyone was broadcasting. He and Alice stood protectively by my sides as we walked in. She kept her arm on him and tried to remain calm to help ease his discomfort. Just watching them so in love returned my feelings of love towards Emmett as well as my anticipation about telling him. Jasper nudged me playfully, apparently picking up on what I was feeling. I smiled up at him apologetically and focused back on the love, for both our sakes. Esme and Carlisle sat side by side on the sofa uneasily. Esme smiled softly at me and tilted her eyes upward, silently telling me where Rosalie and Emmett were.

At that same moment, Alice tightened her grip around my arm and pulled me back slightly in reaction to some vision that she was having. I peered around her as best as I could. Rosalie flew down the stairs with rage in her eyes. Alice and Jasper crouched low in front of me defensively.

"You can't have him!" Rosalie's shrill words made my blood curdle in fear.

She lunged in my direction. Alice pushed me back away from her and Emmett had Rosalie pinned against the wall in the same second. It was all too late, though. I scraped my exposed arm in the doorframe and a small trickle of red blood dripped down my arm. Snarls erupted from everywhere at once.

Alice was pushing Jasper back as well as she could, likely trusting that he would never hurt her, intentional or not. His eyes were wild and thirsty as he stared at me. Esme had her mouth covered like she was going to gag. Emmett's expression was pained but determined as he held Rosalie firmly in place.

"Emmett! What the hell?"

Emmett ignored her and moved to stand in front of me and Jasper. Alice moved to my side cautiously. She handed me a towel to wrap my arm in. Jasper had finally calmed and glanced at Emmett before sprinting away. Alice ran after him. Esme stood in the gap between Rosalie and Emmett while Carlisle moved to my side to start bandaging my arm.

"Answer me!" Rosalie demanded.

"Rosie, you know I love you, but don't make me do this right now. Bella is hurt."

"And that dumb little human will continue to get hurt. It's just what she does!"

"Which is why it is only right for us to change her. We can't divide the family because of lack of willpower every time she hurts herself."

"You _can't_ be serious! You _want_ to change her?" Her voice was tinged with disbelief and pain.

"You already know that, Rosie. Don't make this harder than it has to be. I already told you, you left me. I accept that. We're done."

Rosalie shot me a menacing glare before she flew out the front door. She must have said something too low for my ears to register because everyone hissed at her as she left. After a brief minute, they all turned their dark eyes on me. It was at that moment that I realized that they could still smell my blood, and everyone but Carlisle had pitch black eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

My breath hitched as I looked around the room. Panic began to set in as I realized my predicament. It had been just minutes before that Jasper had made his second attempt on my life, albeit unwillingly. Now I was in house of three vampires, two of which looked dangerously thirsty. Carlisle would not be strong enough to protect me from them both at once.

Then again, it appeared that he didn't have to. They were all staring at me intensely, but not one of them had made a single move towards me. Even Carlisle seemed to be relaxed given the circumstances.

A calm wave rushed over me as I sorted through my emotions over the ordeal. I looked up at Jasper and smiled weakly. The fresh air must have worked quickly on him but he still held his breath and kept his distance. My blood was still tempting even if he didn't smell it.

Once I was calmed down, I took a minute to gather my courage to speak. It was a little unnerving with all of their focus directly on me so it took longer than usual. There was also the fact that I wasn't ready to rule out their thirst just yet. Eventually, the words formed in my mouth and I was ready to talk.

"You know, you're all still holding your breath. Do I stink or something?"

Emmett was the first to break the trance that they all appeared to be under. He laughed heartily, his entire frame shook violently. Esme was laughing silently with her hand covering her mouth. Her eyes gave away her good humor as they twinkled with amusement. Even Carlisle appeared to be stifling his laughter as his eyes caught with Esme's.

"Well, Bells, I've said it once and I'll say it again; you are one strange human," Emmett bellowed in the midst of his laughter.

"You've said it more than once," Alice scoffed while rolling her eyes. I hadn't realized that she was back as well. "And that wasn't because we were thirsty, Bella. Rosalie was threatened your life. We were angry."

My confused expression must have been enough to demand further explanation. Unfortunately, Carlisle interrupted them. "I think Bella has had enough for one evening. Emmett, why don't you take her home so that she can get some rest? I'm sure that the two of you could use a moment in private to speak."

Emmett nodded and ran out to the garage. Alice helped me to my feet and led me out the front door. I said a quick good-bye to everyone in the house and made my way out to the front with Alice by my side. She apologized over and over for not only hurting me but inadvertently putting my life in danger.

"Really, Alice, don't worry about it. There is nothing to forgive. I'm fine, you're fine. Most of the family is here and not disappearing on me over it. It's better than I could hope for." I paused as I thought over my words. "Emmett isn't going to tell me that the family has to move away again, is he?" Déjà vu swept over me as I remembered the last time I bled in front of the Cullen family.

Alice gasped in astonishment. "No! Of course not!"

At that moment Emmett came skidding down the drive way in Rosalie's bright red BMW. Alice kissed me on the cheek and skipped inside. Emmett was at the passenger side and holding the door open for me with a wide, dimpled grin in the next instant. I eyed him with a wary smile and slid into the passenger seat. He sat next to me and gave me a cheeky wink before speeding off down the driveway and towards the main road.

"Why are you driving Rosalie's car?" I finally asked after a moment of silence.

"Oh, is this her car?" he asked innocently. I glared at him and he chuckled. "I was under the impression that I paid for it so it was my car."

"Regardless, why are you driving this car and not your jeep?"

"To piss her off," he answered with another wink in my direction. "Nobody gets away with threatening my little cupcake without me doing something in retaliation. Since it was Rosie, I'm being nice and just taking her 'baby' out for a spin."

"Your little cupcake?"

"I loved cupcakes as a human. They were small and sweet, like you."

I snorted at that. "A big, tough guy like you liked the tiniest dessert on the planet? That's a bit ironic."

He quirked his eyebrow up at me wide a playful grin full of heart stopping dimples. "So big guys can't like small things?"

A faint blush spread across my cheeks which only served to make Emmett laugh. "It isn't that funny that I wear my emotions across my cheeks."

"Actually, I love that I can read you so easily. I don't have to be a mind-reader to know what you are thinking."

I looked over at him to find that his smile was subdued into one of quiet happiness instead of his usual playful one. The sincerity of his statement hit me. He knew what I was thinking and had anticipated my every worry and need beforehand. It wasn't much unlike what Edward had done for me. The difference was that Emmett didn't appear as shocked at my reactions to things as Edward had; he was amused by them where Edward was often irritated that I didn't react properly.

Either I was incredibly easy to read, or they were both incredibly attuned to me. There was only one way to find out for sure.

"Alright, smarty pants, what am I thinking right now?"

He looked over at me wide-eyed before breaking out into a mischievous grin. "Well, you are talking about my pants so you must be imagining me without them on." I blushed deeply at the comment. "And now you are thinking about it for sure because I mentioned it."

"So you want me thinking about you without your pants on?" I rolled my eyes to hide my embarrassment because the visual most certainly had appeared in my mind.

"Definitely!" His answer was enthusiastic. He looked over at me and smiled widely, flashing me a perfect contrast of razor sharp, bright white teeth, and soft, innocent dimples. This was quickly becoming my favorite smile.

I turned away from him then to watch the scenery flying by as we drove back to my dad's home. No matter how often I tried to think of it as my own, I just couldn't. I did not fit in anywhere in Forks. My dad's home was his own. He had lived there alone for too long and had made the entire place his own. The Cullen's home was their own as well. It was their safe-haven and not exactly the ideal home for a human. _My_ home was in Phoenix. I would never fit in Forks the way everyone had hoped. My home was in Phoenix, but my heart was in Forks. It always would be.

"What are you thinking?" Emmett asked quietly as we neared Charlie's home.

"I thought you knew everything that I'm thinking," I teased.

"And I told you that I'm not a mind-reader. I can just read your expressions easily enough to know what you are thinking most of the time."

I let out a deep exhale, still unsure whether or not I should tell him exactly what my thoughts had been. If it were Edward, he would simply disregard them and distract me. He was a superb distracter. This was Emmett though. Emmett had never been anything short of honest with me, even to the point of painfully honest. He deserved the same from me. I had nothing to hide.

"I was just thinking that this isn't my home," I answered. He eyed me suspiciously and appeared as if he were about to object so I continued on with my explanation. "I meant that this is Charlie's house. It doesn't feel like my own. And your house is your own. Your family has it perfectly tweaked to meet your needs and desires. That isn't somewhere that I belong. My home was back in Phoenix with Renee. That is where I am the most comfortable."

"Bella." He began to oppose in a slightly exasperated tone.

"My heart is here though," I added softly.

He paused. "Your heart?"

"Yes, my heart. It may not feel like home now, but it is where my heart is. It will be home eventually. After all, don't they say that home is where the heart is?" I asked hopefully.

"Your home is with us. Your home is with me." His voice became a whisper. "Who hold your heart, Bella?"

"A vampire."

"Which one?" He leaned in towards me. His cool breath danced across my face and invaded my senses.

"You."

As soon as the word escaped my lips, his own were upon them. His powerful hands framed my face and drew me into him, threading their way through my hair. My hands clung around his neck desperately, trying with all their might to close any gap between our bodies. Emmett reclined his seat, unbuckled us both and pulled me on top of his lap. I squirmed to find a comfortable position. That only made him groan into my mouth and clasp his hands around my hips, pushing me down onto his steadily growing erection.

I pressed my mouth harder against his cool lips and brushed them with my tongue, tasting his sweetness. He rewarded me by opening his mouth and kissing me back fully. His tongue was surprisingly gentle as it massaged my own in a heated, passionate kiss full of our need and darkest desires. My hips ground down against his again and he moaned into my mouth. I pulled back after a few more seconds in desperate need of air.

It was the first time that I had been the one to break the kiss. It was an empowering sensation. I had had complete control over the situation. Emmett had not tried to restrain himself the way that I had grown accustomed to. It made me feel wanted. Needed. Sexy. That was something that I could definitely get used to.

"Whatever remains of my heart belongs to you too," Emmett said, breaking the silence.

I looked up at him through my eyelashes. His gaze was positively smoldering with desire. It was captivating, alluring, and it made me self-conscious. Embarrassment was finally beginning to take over as I noticed that I was still seated in his lap and we were now in Charlie's driveway. The blush began to creep over my cheeks, flushing my face and down to my neck.

"Why don't we get you and your adorable blush inside?" I suppose that he was right before; I was that easy to read.

I nodded and disentangled myself from him as he opened his door for me to slide out. I made it all the way to the porch before I turned around to look back at him. Emmett smiled widely and winked at me. I blushed faintly again and ran in the house.

Charlie was sitting in his recliner watching a game on the television. He greeted me quickly before turning his attention back to the game. I walked straight up to my room to gather my things and get ready for bed. I took a long, hot shower. The water massaged away my tension and stung the open wound on my arm slightly. This was a welcome pain, though. While physical pain may hurt, it was sufferable. The emotional pain was what was crippling. If I had to choose between the emotional pain that I had recently felt versus the sting of physical, I would choose the physical pain time and time again.

This was also a reminder that I had survived. I had now survived four direct attacks on my life by vampires. Sure, I survived several non-direct threats as well. But this marked the fourth clear and present danger attack. Edward had wanted to leave me to save me from this sort of thing but even in his absence Laurent had been there. He had felt helpless to save me from his own family, where I should have theoretically been the safest. But Jasper had not reached me in time, then or tonight.

Although, I may not be so pleased about that if he had only managed to bite me before the family pulled him off. I could be well on my way to becoming a vampire by now. I could have already been in the process of changing into one of them. I would fit into their world. I would fit into their home. I would have a home here.

By the time I was showered, dressed and had brushed my hair and teeth I was nervous about returning to my room. Emmett and I had some serious matters to discuss on top of continuing our discussion from the car. While I knew that we needed to talk, I also knew that if he smiled at me one more time I would be inches away from ravishing his entire body. He was entirely too gorgeous for his own good and apparently not shying away from physical contact with me. That suited me just fine.

With slight trepidation I walked towards my bedroom door as silently as humanly possible. I paused at the door and pressed my ear towards it to listen for any sounds within the room. Of course, there were none. Not that I would have expected any even if I did have company. I resigned myself to walk through the door only to find the room completely empty. Relief and disappointment coursed through me.

I sat down on my bed ungracefully and flopped back on the pillows. I groaned loudly at myself for my pitiful reactions and covered my eyes with my hands. The hairs on the back of my neck began to stand on end and I was covered in chills. It was the distinct feeing that I was being watched. Slowly, I pulled my hands away from my eyes and sat up to look around the room. Nothing. Nobody. I flopped back onto the bed and groaned again, this time at my paranoia.

It was at that moment that Emmett decided to materialize before me grinning devilishly. My hand flew to my mouth to muffle my scream. Emmett rolled his head back in silent laughter.

"I've come to drink your blood," he said in a thick accent. He held his hands up and waggled his fingers in the typical Hollywood vampire fashion.

"Oh, ha ha ha," I replied while rolling my eyes. "Help! Help! A vampire is here to attack poor, little ole me!" I sang out mockingly.

A loud snarl was heard outside that sent chills down my spine. Emmett growled and stood between me and the window. The sound below us grew louder in response. I moved closer to the window though it was hard to do with Emmett trying to block my path.

A large, russet colored wolf was pacing the lawn and snarling towards my window. Immediately I recognized Jacob's less than natural form and tried to speak to him to calm him down. "Jake? I'm fine. It's just Emmett. I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm fine. Nothing is wrong. Can we just talk about this?"

His eyes darted quickly between me and Emmett in a glare.

"Please?"

He growled low again. Emmett hissed in response. But, Jacob assented; he did precisely as I asked. He phased back into his bare, human form right before my eyes.

"Jacob Black!" I admonished in a hissed whisper. "Where on earth are your clothes?"

Jacob shrugged at me as he replied. "Did you see me wearing any clothes over my fur, Bella?"

Emmett nearly choked over that and quickly corrected himself into a stoic façade when I glared in his direction. Jacob snickered and placed his hands on his hips confidently. His manhood saluting me despite the chill of the night. My blush threatened to burn me alive as I stared. I moved to the bed, gathered the blanket, bed and threw it at him. "Cover yourself!"

Jacob took a step back when I threw the blanket at him. Emmett jumped out of the window at the moment and Jacob snarled in protest, dropping the blanket that was meant to cover him.

Charlie chose that moment to run into the front yard gun drawn. The sounds of the boys fighting must have caught his attention. They did sound like wild animals, after all.

There was Jacob, stark naked in all his glory, with my blanket barely wrapped around his waist and crouched down face to face with Emmett who mirrored his aggressive stance. I was in the window, watching in fear at the scene in front of me. Jacob and Emmett were just about at each others throats, And now Charlie was there, assessing them, the fact that they were obviously fighting, that Jacob was completely undressed, and that they were in our front yard at this hour.

There was so much wrong with this situation that I didn't even know what to be the most upset at. I could be mad at the boys for trying to rip each other apart in front of me. I could be mad at Jacob for alerting Charlie to the fact that they were there. I could be mad at Charlie for brandishing a weapon at them. I wasn't though. I was mad at myself because I had to go and mockingly say a vampire was attacking me, which led to Jacob growling at my window, which led to Charlie discovering it all. This all originated as my fault.

As much as I was upset with myself for this, it was still very comical. And the reaction on Charlie's face? Well, that was just as priceless. Although I seriously doubted that he would find the humor in it if I were to attempt to capture the look on his face for future reference.

I erupted into a fit of laughter. It had two immediate effects. First, the tension between Jacob and Emmett dissipated almost instantly as they both stared up at me like I was a cackling mad woman. Second, they noticed that Charlie was staring at them with a rifle hanging loosely at his side.

"Boy, you better have a damned good explanation," Charlie growled out in Jacob's direction.

"Sir." Jacob's voice held a slight waver and he held his hands up and palm out in defense. "I can explain."

Emmett snorted. Charlie glared at him. "You're next, son." He looked pointedly back at Jacob. "And I already told you to start explaining so you best get on with it."

Jacob stole a quick glance in my direction. I waved him on, anxious to hear what kind of explanation he could come up with. The corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smirk in my direction, where Charlie wouldn't see it before he turned confidently back to face him.

"We were just discussing the merits of our height to length ratio."

I swear, Emmett's jaw dropped to the floor as the words rolled carelessly out of Jacob's mouth. Charlie looked at him with a puzzled expression before realization kicked in. I burst into another maniacal fit of laughter.

"Your height to length ratio?" Charlie's tone was skeptical.

"Yes, you see, I am clearly at a height advantage and I believe that puts me at… other advantages as well." Emmett growled at him. "As you can see," Jacob continued, clearly unfazed by Emmett's reaction, "he seems to be a bit touchy on the subject so clearly I was correct in my assumption."

Charlie grunted and mumbled under his breath. I could only assume that Charlie was irritated and cursing about juvenile delinquents or something of the equivalent. Finally he looked up and locked eyes with me. I squirmed under the scrutiny of his glare and averted my eyes to the floor.

"What about you, Bells? What's your story? Are you the official record keeper?" A tinge of humor colored the disapproval in his tone.

It took every ounce of self-control that I possessed to look him straight in the eye and tell him, "of course not, dad. I was just getting ready for bed and then I heard these two going at it."

Jacob snorted at my choice of words, drawing Charlie's focus back to him. "And just why are the two of you discussing this in my yard at this hour?"

Jacob suddenly appeared like a deer in the headlights. Thankfully, Emmett rescued him. "I came to ask Bella for some help with Alice's homework. She is at home sick and didn't want to come over herself and risk Bella getting sick. Jacob happened to be following me. You could say jealousy fueled the rest."

Charlie didn't appear to believe any of it. He shook his head at us all before he spoke again. "You boys are up to no good, of that I am sure. I'm calling both of your fathers to let them know what is going on here and that you are on your ways home. And if I ever catch either of you 'comparing ratios' on my yard again, I can't be held responsible for my actions." He tapped his gun conspicuously to reiterate his words.

Once they were gone Charlie made his way up to my room. For a long time we just stood there without looking at one another. He seemed to be thinking particularly hard about what he wanted to tell me, and I wasn't about to break the silence. Already it felt like I was on trial for a crime that I didn't commit.

"Bells, I know I wanted you to be a normal teenager and like boys and all," he paused and began to pace nervously. I bit my lower lip and crossed my arms gripping my torso in preparation of what was to come. "But this is too much. I don't like that Emmett boy. He's a bad influence. Now I don't know what those boys were up to tonight and, frankly, I don't care. What I do care about is that this kind of behavior is going on around you and I'm putting a stop to it. I don't want you to see him anymore."

My stubborn, teenage streak flared up at that. I hadn't missed that he was only banning me from seeing Emmett and not Jacob though clearly Jacob was the naked one. I wasn't about to let his prejudices stop me from seeing Emmett. Not now.

"Fine."

He took a step back. Obviously he hadn't expected me to agree so easily. He was wrong if he thought that I was.

"Can I at least go explain to Emmett and his family that you are obviously just as prejudiced against them as the rest of the town?"

His face turned red and I instantly regretted my words. "Now wait one minute here, Bell. You know that's not the case. I'm a father and I have the right and responsibility to look out for my only daughter. And if I determine that their boy isn't a good influence on my daughter then that's my say."

"And what about the fact that your daughter is now a legal adult? Where is my say?"

"Out of the question!" His face was turning an unnatural shade of purple. It was alarming and had me reigning in my little tantrum.

"Listen, dad, I know that you worry about me. But you don't need to worry about Emmett. I promise. I can take care of myself just fine."

He grunted a bit while his skin returned to a normal shade. "I still don't like it," he muttered sullenly.

I choked on a laugh. "No one said you had to. Sometimes you just have to sit back and watch. Kids grow up, you know?"

"You always were more mature than you should be." He walked over and gave me an awkward one-armed hug. "Spend some time with your other friends, would you? Not so much time with this Emmett character?"

His demand was masked as a request. While I didn't want to agree to his terms, I also didn't want to spend all night arguing with my dad. I hummed something that sounded like an affirmative without ever really consenting.

Charlie left me for the night and I ran back to my window as soon as I was sure that he wouldn't hear my footsteps. Emmett was through the window and waiting for me with open arms the second that my feet touched the floor. He grabbed me and held me tightly in a bear hug.

"Emmett!" I choked out. "Can't… breath!"

"Sorry. I just wanted to let you know that Jacob and I spoke outside…"

"About the height to length ratio?"

"That too. More specifically, I told him that you and I needed to speak with the pack about the treaty in place." His words and expression were guarded.

"The treaty? What about it?"

"Well, the treaty specifically reads that we are not to 'bite' any humans," he replied slowly and with emphasis on the word bite.

"Oh." I understood what that meant clear enough. If any one of them bit me, the treaty would be null and void. It would be war between the wolves and the vampires. "So you can't change me?"

"Is that what you really want?" There was a slight shimmer in his eye that I almost recognized as hope.

"Absolutely," I answered with conviction. "Why wouldn't I? How is it fair that I can only live and love for this lifetime but you continue to exist without me?"

"You love me," he whispered. He wasn't questioning, he was assuring himself of the words.

I blushed then, realizing what I had inadvertently told him, and looked down towards the ground. His cool finger gently lifted my chin until my eyes raised to gaze into his deep amber colored ones. His lips gently grazed against mine in a sweet, chaste kiss.

"I love you too," he whispered against my lips.

:-:-:

On Saturday we drove to the treaty line with Alice to meet with Jacob and Sam. They were both there and appeared anxious. Sam quickly turned to business as we approached. Jacob, while he smiled warmly at me, appeared skeptical of Emmett. Alice was dismissively ignored.

"Sam. Jacob," Emmett greeted coolly with a nod at each. They, in turn, nodded back towards us.

"What part of the treaty are you having difficulty complying with?" Sam asked abruptly.

"What? No 'hi, how are you?'" Emmett joked uneasily.

"Our terms were very clear. We stay within our reservation and leave your family alone, and in turn you respect our treaty line and do not bite any humans. It's a simple."

At that moment, Jacob looked up at me with widened eyes. "Bella?" I met his gaze. "Please tell me that you can't be serious?"

He must not have realized what this meeting was about until that moment. The pain was evident in his expression as he stared at me with pleading eyes. His head shook back in forth, willing it to be untrue.

"Jake, I love him."

Sam looked at us with confusion. "Serious about what?"

"Not a chance! The bloodsucker won't touch you!" Jacob yelled.

His body began trembling violently with his imminent transformation. Sam placed a hand sternly on his shoulder to keep him in place. He looked back at me and studied my expression. I refused to look at Sam. My eyes were locked with Jacob. I felt horrible that this was how he found out, but I wasn't going to take it back. Apparently Sam found what he had been looking for in me anyway. He turned to Jacob and gave him an apologetic look.

"The treaty remains in place. If you want her, you'll have to violate that and face the consequences." His once brown and inviting eyes had turned black as pitch and were devoid of all emotion except pure, unadulterated hate.

"No!" I yelled out at both of them. "This is _my _choice! This isn't about them trying to violate the treaty. It's about what _I _want." They did not appear to be affected by my words so I tried a different approach. "Sam, what would you do if someone told you that you couldn't spend your entire life with Emily?"

"This isn't about me, Bella. This is about the bloodsuckers violating the treaty."

"Exactly. It would only be violated to protect love. And I would be the only one at risk. If you had the choice to spend your entire life with Emily, you would, wouldn't you? You wouldn't want time or space to restrict your love, right? That is exactly what I have restricting me. I want to spend the rest of my natural and unnatural life by his side."

Jacob collapsed to his knees beside Sam. "Bella, how could you? Let me love you and give you a normal life. You can't grow old or even have babies with him! You can't stay with your family. You'll be giving up everything and everyone that love you. You'll live by draining life from others!"  
"It isn't that different from what you do," I argued quietly.

Sam snarled at me in defense. Emmett pushed me back and stood protectively in front of me. Alice grabbed my hand and squeezed gently, probably trying to tell me to be quiet.

"I meant," I continued, trying to diffuse the situation. "That you eat meat. You consume another life as well."

"It most certainly is not the same," Sam replied for them both. Still, his eyes were more sympathetic this time as he considered his words. "We will consider the treaty. I want to discuss it further with the rest of the pack and the elders. I'll contact you with our decision tomorrow night."

Sam looked down at Jacob and began walking towards the trees. Jacob looked up at me with tears in his eyes before standing and running at full speed to the trees. Emmett turned back to me and reached his hand out in my direction.

"Shall we?"

I eyed him skeptically. "Shall we what?"

"Well, unless you want to hang out here all day and wait for the dogs to change their mind, I thought we could go try my luck in the kitchen again."

I laughed at that and placed my hand in his own. It was cool and strong and wrapped around my entire hand. I looked down at it and smiled to myself.

"Perfect fit," Emmett remarked.


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **  
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Charlie was still upset that I saw Emmett as much as ever. Jacob was angry with me for wanting to become a "filthy bloodsucking leach." And now Emmett was angry that the pack had decided against letting me be changed without a violation of the treaty. With all the tension, anger and resentment floating around, it was no wonder that Jasper found it necessary to take an extended hunting trip in Alaska away from the family.

Even Alice was leaving him alone for the time being. She would occasionally come over and under the guise of wanting to spend time with her best friend. I wasn't fooled. She missed Jasper and sulked for the four days that he was gone. However, on Friday Jasper returned and I was left on my own. My mood was worsened knowing that Emmett planned to spend the weekend hunting large game down south.

Around seven in the evening Charlie got a call and had to head out. It was just as well for him to be out of the house because I was in a sour mood and was keeping to myself upstairs like a bratty kid. He hadn't been gone for more than five minutes before I heard a clinking sound on my bedroom window. I opened it and looked out to find Emmett below and grinning at me like a Cheshire cat.

"Hey! Can you come out and play?"

I was shocked, to say the least. I hadn't expected to see him again until Sunday night. "I thought you were going to go hunting down south?"

"I was. But I found a couple bears along the way and was full enough to head back early. And Alice said that Charlie would be gone for a few hours and you would be bored at home."

I couldn't conceal my excitement. My sour mood evaporated as I stared down at Emmett.

"Now, get your graceful bottom down here before I go up there and drag you out," he threatened playfully.

I snorted at that. "Graceful! Ha! Have you just met me or did you suffer a head injury lately?"

He tapped his chin with his index finger and pretended to think about it. "Maybe I am just forgetful and need to be reminded of your natural gracefulness… or lack thereof." He smirked at me.

"So what did you have in mind?" I asked to divert the attention away from my clumsiness.

"Get your cute butt down here and then I will tell you."

I scowled at him. He laughed at my expression and waved me down. I turned back into my room, slipped on my shoes, and grabbed my parka. I raced down the stairs as quickly as I dared and out the front door. Emmett was at my side and tugging on one of my hands impatiently as I locked the door with my free hand and slipped the key back under the awning.

"Alright, I'm moving." I laughed at his impatience. "Where are we going?"

"We're just going out to the forest to have a little fun."

"The forest? You do realize that I don't have your enhanced vision? Things are actually dark for me, believe it or not."

"Don't worry, little human. I've got it all taken care of already."

I bristled at the term but otherwise kept my cool. "Do you now?"

"Yep!" he proclaimed, popping the 'p'. "I was going to take you out Sunday, but it will be so much more fun this way." He grinned mischievously at me, flashing his teeth and dimples and added a quick wink for good measure.

Emmett sensed my hesitation and decided to take matters into his own hands. He grabbed both of my wrists and pulled me into his chest roughly. After a quick kiss he slung me over his shoulder and took off running in the direction of his home. I squealed and protested briefly before resigning myself to be carried like a piece of meat.

A few minutes later we arrived in an obscure location in the middle of absolutely nowhere. There was a tiny clearing in the trees with a few trunks and branches sprawled across the forest floor. The trees appeared to have been recently uprooted and laid on the ground. There were three bright spotlights strategically placed to provide light in the small clearing as well. He must have had someone from his family help him set up the area.

He sat me down and disappeared from my sight before I could ask him about anything. I took the opportunity to explore the area. My fingers trailed lightly across a mossy branch, savoring the soft moisture under my fingertips. I stepped over a branch protruding upwards from the trunk without incident. On the other side of the trunk was a small picnic basket. I hoisted myself up and rolled my body over to slide back down onto my feet with a loud thump.

"Oh good!" Emmett exclaimed from behind me, causing me to jump. He laughed at me. "You already got the idea."

"What idea?"

"We're here to work on your balance and coordination." He said this as if it wasn't anything uncommon.

"What?"

"Oh come on, cupcake. You know you need all the help you can get," he teased with a cheeky wink. "Besides, it's entertaining for me to watch you fall. And if and when you do, I get to be there to catch you."

A faint blush spread across my cheeks. "Who says I need you to catch me?"

I tripped over a small branch as I said it, essentially nullifying my argument. Emmett's strong arms reached out and caught me by my waist to stop my fall. He set me stably on my feet and plopped down on the ground in a fit of laughter. I crossed my arms and glared at him for a good minute as he continued laughing. Finally, I let out a huff of air in annoyance. He looked up at me, his deep amber eyes glimmering with complete amusement.

"Would you have rather I let you fall?"

That only aggravated me farther because he knew I didn't want to fall. I also did not want to be completely helpless. However, if he were being honest about wanting to help me with my coordination, the least that I could do was be cooperative. Regardless how futile his efforts may be, it was a sweet gesture.

"Alright, oh graceful one, where do I begin?"

"Why don't you start by walking in a straight line," he suggested in an innocent voice. The smirk on his lips betrayed him as I glared at him for the comment.

"I think that I can manage to walk in a straight line without tripping, thank you very much."

"Oh really? Prove it!"

I rolled my eyes and proceeded to walk straight across the clearing in the opposite direction from him. Once I was about ten feet away I decided to add a little extra sway in my hips for the fun of it since I knew he was seated behind me and watching each step I took. The least that I could do was at least put on a show for him since he was waiting for some form of entertainment. I desperately did not want his entertainment to be in the form of me face first on the ground. A little hip shake would suffice.

When I reached the edge of the clearing I turned back towards him with a smug grin and crossed my arms.

He rolled his eyes at my antics. "Try it again." I was about to protest so he raised his hand to silence me. "Practice makes perfect."

My smile fell slightly as I began to walk back across the clearing. This was not going to teach me any sense of balance or coordination. "Emmett!" I whined. "Shouldn't I be doing something a bit more complex than walking a straight line on a flat surface?"

"Baby steps," he assured me. "Besides, I think Carlisle would be upset with me if I had to rush you back to him for scraping yourself up from trying too much too quick."

"Or I could just wait until I can become a vampire and not worry about practicing as a human," I mumbled under my breath.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head over that," Emmett said, obviously hearing my rant. "I'll take care of it. I don't plan to leave you human any longer than necessary. You're too much fun to leave behind. I love you too much to let you go and not give you everything that you want."

"Well isn't that the sweetest proposal; I'm so much fun to be around that you _have_ to love me and give me my way."

"You know what I mean." I stopped walking directly in front of where he sat on the ground. "Now step over all the branches on this tree by me." He pat the trunk nearest him.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes or complain and did as was instructed. This lesson was bound to get more interesting at some point. After all, Emmett was too easily distracted to pay attention to me doing absolute nothing but walking around trees for too long. How could I possible be intriguing enough to hold his attention during such a mundane task?

"Emmett?" I glanced back over my shoulder to find him watching me intently. "Why am I practicing balance and coordination when there are other more interesting things to do on a Friday night?"

"Do you mean for me or for you?"

He had obviously sensed that I was feeling low confidence in myself. His answers were never short of blunt. He never answered a question with a question unless it was meant to provoke someone. I highly doubted that he was attempting to provoke me at that moment. No, he was evading my question. He knew what I was getting at.

"For you, obviously. I was content sitting at home and thinking that you were gone hunting. There are so many other things that you can do though. There are practically no restrictions for you."

"Would you rather I take you home?" His tone was heavily disappointed.

He was still avoiding answering the subject directly. I was beginning to wonder what had come over him. This was not the Emmett that I was familiar with. This was not the Emmett that I had grown to love as much more than my big brother bear.

"I would rather you tell me why you feel so inclined to spend your Friday evening like this; watching a human that was obviously born without the coordination gene learn to walk over tree branches."

He chuckled and shook his head. "I would rather spend my time with you than do anything else. And I figured that I could teach you some balance in the meantime so that we can have some fun without me having to catch you all the time. You don't really want me laughing at you every time that you fall, do you?"

There was my Emmett.

"Definitely not," I replied. "So, what's next, wise sage?" I asked, having crossed the length of the fallen trunk and all the branches safely.

"Well since little Miss I'm-ready-to-take-it-to-the-next-level over here is getting impatient on me, why don't you climb up and walk across the length of the trunk?"

A brief wave of panic swept across me. I hesitated and looked at Emmett directly in his deep, amber eyes, swirling with unspoken emotion. He gave me an encouraging look, but his stance was far from relaxed. In fact, he looked as if he were ready to spring to life to catch me in the blink of an eye.

"What if I fall?" I whispered.

He laughed. For a moment I was furious that he was laughing at me but the tension in the air was broken so I couldn't be too upset.

"You know? I think that Edward was right about something," he mused. "You really don't have any sense of self-preservation. You're in the middle of the woods, it's dark outside, no one knows where you are, and you're in the company of a vampire; yet you're afraid of falling off a log?" He laughed again and shook his head.

My face twisted into a petulant grimace. "You would be too if it hurt you to fall."

"Shouldn't you be more afraid of skinning yourself if you fall and creating an open wound?" he asked, his tone abruptly somber. "What if I couldn't restrain myself?"

"But you have. Twice," I reminded him.

He chuckled again and took a tentative step towards me. "I was being watched then." He took another slow, methodical step in my direction. "There were others around to stop me if I acted out." Another step. "Here, there is no one," he warned with another large step, closing the gap between us.

I had been wary of Emmett when I first met him because, quite frankly, his size was enormously intimidating. Now, as he stalked towards me, eyes darkening to a dangerous shade of onyx, he appeared every bit the dangerous predator that he truly was. If he lost control right here, right now, there was no one to protect me. There were a million reasons why I should be terrified.

All this I knew. In my subconscious I was certain that I should be frightened. My survival instincts were screaming at me. Fight or flight. Fight or flight. Neither was a strong candidate, given that there was no way to fend him off, nor any chance to outrun him. Edward had demonstrated that point all too clearly in a vain attempt to frighten me off before. In that sense, Emmett was no different than Edward at the moment. He was attempting to frighten me into my senses. And it was all in vain; my reactions had never been the correct ones as it was.

"I'm not scared of you."

Before I could register the change, Emmett was on the opposite end of the clearing, sitting at the picnic basket. He looked over at my confused expression and chuckled to himself. He spread a blanket out on the ground and beckoned me towards him with one finger. When I hesitated he called out to me.

"I'm not going to bite, Bella."

"Where have I heard that line before," I replied sarcastically.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Come here. Please?"

His bottom lip pouted out at me and his eyes took on an innocent, pleading look. He definitely learned that trick from Alice. It was just as irresistible with him as it was with her. I silently complied and walked over to him and sat in front of him.

"Now, what are we going to do about you?"

"Tie me to a stake and sacrifice me to the wolves."

Emmett did not look pleased. His brows knitted together in a deep scowl. I guessed that my version of sarcasm wasn't appreciated. Suddenly his posture relaxed and a wicked gleam appeared in his eyes.

"How about if we tie you to a stake and sacrifice you to me instead?"

"Sacrifice what part of me?" My voice shook as I ran through the possibilities in my mind.

He threw his head back and let out a dark laugh. "Guess you'll never know."

Thoughts of bondage and all other variety of kinky bedroom play came to mind before I could banish the thoughts entirely. Normally I'm a very reserved girl, sex being no different. But there was something about Emmett that brought out my inner wild child.

"Are you sad?" I asked, trying to change the subject before my daydreaming got too carried away.

"About Rosalie?" I nodded. "Yes." I felt dejected and lowered my eyes to the blanket. "But not for why you might think."

"Then why?"

"I'm sad that it had to end like that with her. She made me happy. Yes, she was wrapped up in herself and very rarely puts someone else before herself, but she loved me, and I loved her. It honestly never even occurred to me that the day would come when her need to place herself first would overcome my love for her.

"I'm disappointed because it did. I realized that my love for her wasn't as strong as it was supposed to be. I couldn't just forgive and forget like I usually did. She walked out on me; that was unforgivable. She may have walked out on me, but I let her go."

I understood exactly what he meant. Edward had walked out on me twice. Each time he claimed it was for my own good, never allowing me the chance to decide what was good for me and what wasn't. And each time he was wrong. The hole that he ripped in my heart never recovered. I knew I would never be enough to keep his attention. It was time for me to let him go, just as Emmett had done with Rosalie.

It hurt. I will be the first to admit it. It hurt nearly as bad to accept that I was letting go of Edward as it did to acknowledge that he had left me. It hurt, it ached, but it did not cripple me. I had my suspicions why that was; and he was sitting directly in front of me, mourning the loss of his first love.

We both sat in companionable silence for awhile. I reflected fondly on all the happy memories that Edward and I had shared together. I smiled wistfully to myself as I tucked them into the far corner of my heart for safe-keeping. I still loved Edward, but he no longer held my heart. That much I had already promised to Emmett and he accepted it willingly. I said a silent good-bye to my first love. My "crush" as Edward had once termed it. Then, I looked back at Emmett.

He appeared to have been doing the same thing as I did. His wide eyes were filled with relief and a tinge of sadness. He stared back into my eyes and the amber color shone brilliantly in his. It was as if a spark of life had been brought back into them when he looked at me. The female inside me thrilled at this; that I could ignite such a reaction in him.

"Shall we try that tree now?" he asked quietly.

I glanced over at the fallen tree. It seemed so insignificant lying there amongst everything else in the forest. The task did not seem so daunting anymore. I could do this. I _would_ do this.

"Definitely." I was pleased by the confidence in my tone.

He smiled, pleased by my reaction. His smile widened to show breathtaking dimples that melted my heart and my bones. I ignored my involuntary reaction and lifted myself off the ground and walked as confidently as possible to the far end of the fallen tree. Emmett was by my side and locked his strong, icy hands firmly around my waist, lifting me into position.

"One step at a time."

I did as told. One foot in front of the other. Emmett walked along at my side as I slowly made my way down the length of the tree. My confidence was building with each successful step. I was shaking less and less. My shoulders straightened out of their own volition and I held my head up just a little higher, proud of my minor accomplishment.

I was only a few steps away from the end of the tree when I miscalculated a step. Unfortunately, I began to topple over in the direction opposite Emmett. I twisted my body to try to fall towards him for him to catch me to no avail. I fell the wrong way anyway.

A cool pair of arms caught me and I smiled to myself. I should have known that he would be there to catch my fall, what with lightning fast reflexes. I looked up into his golden eyes, but they weren't Emmett's. They were a familiar topaz. Edward had caught me.

He smiled brightly at me, appearing both concerned and amused, as usual. "Bella." His voice was gentle and warm as he sat me back on my feet without letting me go.

A low growl rumbled from across the tree where Emmett stood. Edward had a confused expression on his face as he glanced between the two of us. Emmett crouched down and growled again when Edward maneuvered behind him and farther from Emmet. I took a step back away from him, hoping to diffuse the situation. Edward appeared confused, with hurt and disappointment evident across his perfect features.

"Bella?"

"I think that you should leave, Edward," I told him as calmly as I could.

My eyes darted back and forth between Emmett and Edward. I was silently trying to convey to him what my thoughts could not tell him; that I did not want to be there to witness the two of the fighting, particularly not over me. Edward looked up at Emmett and winced at whatever thought was going through his mind. He then looked up to me apologetically and pulled my hand to his lips, kissing it gently.

"I will see you again," he promised. "Soon." He shot a pointed glare at Emmett before disappearing into the black night.

Emmett had relaxed out of his defensive stance. "Guess we should call it a night."

He jumped across the trunk and pulled me into an iron grip bear hug. I gasped for air and he chuckled as he loosened his grip. He picked me up bridal style and took off running through the forest to Charlie's house.

When he set me down back in my room, his hands did not move from my waist. He stared off into the distance above my head, seemingly focused on a blank spot in the wall. I moved to walk towards my dresser for my pajamas but his iron hands clamped down tightly over my own and held me in place.

"I won't have you walk out on me too," he whispered.

"I'm not."

He looked down at me, searching my eyes for something. His own amber eyes shone with brilliancy again when they found it.

"And you're still not afraid of me?" I shook my head. "I can make you fear me," he warned, his eyes glinting with mischief.

"You can try," I challenged.

He chuckled as his hands moved from my waist to my frame my face. "You're going to regret those words, Bella."

His lips crashed into mine with urgency. His tongue swept across my lips. I anxiously parted them as his tongue forced its way into my own mouth. His hands fisted in my hair, pulling me painfully closer into him. We kissed long and hard, only stopping for a few seconds at a time for me to catch a quick breath.

Finally, the urgency subdued. His kiss became gentler, more controlled, and more intimate. He placed a few light kisses on my lips and then pulled back.

"I love you, Bella." The words were murmured against my lips as his forehead rested against my own.

"I love you, too."

"Get ready for bed. Tomorrow is going to be a long day," he added with a heavy sigh.


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **  
*** *** ***

Sometime before the light of the sun ever filtered through the window I woke to the sounds of clangs and bangs from the kitchen downstairs. Charlie must have been awake and scrounging for a pan to fry some bacon and eggs. He truly was a helpless cause in the kitchen. I would have to teach him to cook some of the healthier essentials before I moved out. Else, I could find him someone to look after him… If that were even possible everything would be all too easy.

With more grace than usual, particularly for so early in the day, I climbed out of my bed and made my way to the bathroom. I allowed myself my quick "human" moment before returning to my room. I quickly dressed in a pair of comfortable jeans and a powder blue, long sleeved shirt. Even if it was nearly summer here in Forks, the air always held a certain dampness to it that was a bit chilling, especially after living in the dry heat of Phoenix for so long. Once I was finished dressing I pulled my hair back into a simple ponytail and bounded down the stairs.

As suspected, Charlie was in the kitchen and cracking several eggs in a bowl. The bacon was already in a pan frying over the stove. The smoky scent filled my nose as well as a slightly sweet, slight bitter aromatic scent that I immediately recognized as coffee.

I didn't drink coffee often. My tolerance for caffeine was particularly low and I generally did not like the jitteriness that accompanied it. Today, however, I would take my chances. I had my suspicions that it would be a long day full of exhausting conversations. Yes, caffeine would definitely be my friend today.

Breakfast was a quiet affair. This was partially because Charlie and I had never been inclined to fill the silences with unnecessary conversation. It was also because I avoided exerting myself in conversation before later in the day when I knew it would be inevitable. But it was also because I was still more than a little upset about Charlie's blatant preference for my Quileute friends over the Cullens. It was bad enough that they couldn't get along with each other. I didn't need Charlie taking sides to complicate matters.

After we finished eating I picked up the plates and carried them to the sink to wash them. Charlie grumbled his appreciation and mentioned that he would be down in La Push with Billy to fish for the day. He also hinted that Jacob might be lonely. I knew what he wanted. While I might have welcomed the chance to escape and not deal with the problems that I was sure to face today, I was still more than a little irritated that he and Sam had decided against my being changed as an exception to their precious treaty. Jacob could just deal with the cold shoulder.

I was already feeling the affects of the coffee within minutes of Charlie's departure. Sitting still was no longer an option as my legs were already bouncing uncontrollably. My fingers were itching for something to do as well. I jumped up, quite literally, and ran faster than I normally would have been comfortable with up the stairs. I ran into my room and slammed the door closed.

My thoughts were racing around in my mind as I began to comprehend the gravity of the situation. Edward was back. I had just accepted that I would let him go minutes before he returned. I loved Emmett. Emmett had let go of Rosalie. For me? Maybe. But, I loved Edward, too. That much was now painfully obvious. Did I love him the same way that I had before? Or was my heart beyond his repair? Was it Emmett that I now needed? Now wanted? Now desired?

I couldn't think clearly. Maybe the caffeine hadn't been such a good idea. My thoughts couldn't settle for even a fleeting second for me to sort through it all. I just didn't a distraction. Something to take my mind off it all so that my subconscious could begin to work through it. Absently I turned on the radio by the bed just needing background noise.

Dancing seemed like a decent distraction from my mental ramblings. I could turn the music up loud enough to drown out my thoughts. At least there was no one here to laugh at my lack of coordination or talent. I could just allow myself a moment to let free and have fun, to live the way that Emmett was trying to show me.

_Girl's Just Wanna Have _Fun by Cyndi Lauper blared through the radio and I began to dance. I stomped. I spun. I swayed. I even sang. It was exhilarating and fun. It was the perfect distraction and just the release I needed before the day began.

_"Some boys take a beautiful girl  
__And hide her away from the rest of the world  
__I wanna be the one to walk in the sun  
__Oh girls! They wanna have fun  
__Oh girls just wanna have fun!"_

As I sang along with Cyndi I spun around with my arms out realizing just how true those lyrics were. They described my relationship with Edward. He was always so cautious with me, so protective. It was as if he had hidden me away from the world in order to protect me from all the hidden dangers that lurked in it. Emmett had been a ray of sunshine in my life after he left the second time. I wanted to walk straight out into the ray of light that he provided me. I wanted to bask in his warmth. And, damnit! I wanted to have _fun._ The kind of fun that Edward would never allow.

The song ended and transitioned into a new one. _Getting' Jigy Wit It_ by Will Smith. I laughed to myself at the song and began to gyrate to the music again as I sang along. I shook my little booty all the way to the ground and worked my way back up and jumped to spin myself around.

I screamed and began to fall to the ground when I caught a pair of golden eyes watching me from the corner of the room. Edward caught me before I hit the floor.

"What would I do without your knack for falling?" he mused with obvious amusement. "It always provides the perfect opportunity to hold you. And to think, here you claimed that you can't dance…"

He sat me back on the ground as I began to flush in embarrassment. I turned my bright red face away from him. His cool finger hooked under my chin and gently pulled me back to face him.

"Please?" he begged. "Don't look away from me. Not now. I've been such a fool for so long, depriving myself of your presence. I can't stand to have you look away from me now. It's worse than the pain of your absence."

His words stung. They were so gentle, so full of compassion and emotion. It was wrong hearing them from his lips. I retaliated to that.

"You know nothing of pain in separation."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow at me speculatively. "I know that I was beyond miserable without you. My existence ceases to have purpose without you at my side. I know that it physically crippled me when I remembered you fondly and the floodgate of emotions broke through. I knew that I had to annihilate Victoria if there was ever a chance for you to live without constant danger of attack."

"That does not mean that you know anything about the pain of absence," I hissed back at him. "Have you spoken to Jasper? I'm sure that he could tell you exactly what I mean. He can _show you_ just how physically broken I was when you left."

He winced. Apparently my words had had their desired effect, or else he had already spoken with Jasper and understood what I was referring to. He stayed quiet, simply gazing at me from where he sat perched on the edge of the bed. Eventually his brows knit together in a look of confusion.

"You're angry with me?" The disbelief was apparent in his voice.

"You expected any less?"

His lips turned up into a sad smile and he shook his head. "I suppose not. Though, I must admit, it is rather disappointing. I had hoped that you be as accepting this time as you had the last."

"The last time you left because you thought that you were a danger to me. This time you left because you refuse to change me. You made it quite clear, Edward, that you don't want me." I paused and inhaled deeply before forcing the next words out. "You never really wanted me. That's the problem."

"Bella, I've always wanted you, only you. But I cannot disregard your safety or your soul because of that. I love you too much to allow any harm to come to you."

"No!" I shouted back at him. "You're just stringing me along until I eventually die. You have never wanted to have me the way I wanted you. You won't even kiss me, Edward! You barely touch me! I'm not a porcelain doll that will shatter at contact. Regardless what your preconceived notion is, I am fairly resilient."

"Not when it comes to me, Bella," he argued quietly. "Did you forget how easily that I could break you? Have you forgotten how easy it would be for me to crush you without realizing it?" His words became angrier but his face remained pained and worried.

"That's exactly my point!" I screamed out. "Why would you want to keep me a stupid, fragile human? Why don't you want me to be your equal? Do you enjoy being superior to me? Do you enjoy keeping me in this pathetic state? I know that you can't enjoy being so near me when I smell so appealing to you. Why, then? Why torture yourself? Why reject me?"

"You think that I don't want you?" His voice was a pained whisper. "I have never stopped wanting you. I have never stopped loving you, Isabella. I would love nothing more than to spend my entire existence with you, but I can't risk you like that. I will not jeopardize your soul for my own selfish desires. I want you to have the chances that I will never be granted, Bella. Please, try to understand that."

"I'm done trying, Edward. If you think that I am going to wait around for you to change your mind then you have another thing coming. I'm done."

"I can't bear to live without you. Can't you just consider this for a bit longer? Give me a chance to atone for my horrendous mistakes?"

"You know what I want," I muttered petulantly. "Regardless, I will die one day if you don't change me. What then?"

"I have already told you once, I do not plan to exist much longer than you."

"You would rather damn me to a life of pain and suffering without love then damn me to an immortal existence with you? I would be happier with eternal damnation than I would be with salvation after one miserable life, Edward."

"Bella, please. I'm begging you not to choose this."

"What you are really asking me is to not choose you. You still want me to think of you as scary vampire and run the other way!" I accused.

"No! Bella, no! I don't want to be separated from you anymore. It was foolish of me to leave you the first time and completely senseless of me to leave the second. I was being utterly irrational and now all I want to beg for your forgiveness and acceptance. Grovel if it will help."

"But you will only do that under the condition that I remain human, correct?"

"That was the plan," he admitted reluctantly.

My mind was completely reeling. Apparently I did not have all day to think this decision through like I usually would with something so important. This was going to have to be an impulse decision, something that I was not entirely comfortable with. Of course, I could always prolong the inevitable, but then I would still have to deal with this later. I didn't want to worry about this anymore. I needed to make my decision. I would deal with those consequences later when necessary.

Edward rose from where he sat as if he had read my silent mind. He took the small step in my direction and crouched directly in front of me. His liquid topaz eyes smoldered as he stared directly into my own. He sighed, his cool breath dancing around my face and intoxicating me with his presence. I was mesmerized. I was… dazzled!

"Edward!" I said as I shifted back to regain my focus.

He smiled unrepentantly at me. "Look in my eyes, Bella," he commanded gently. "Look at me and tell me that you do not love me. Tell me that no longer want me, and I will walk away."

His words taunted me. I knew I could never honestly tell him that I did not love him, especially if I had to look directly into his eyes when I did so. He knew that. He knew that I could never lie. No, he knew what he was doing. He had decided that he was going to fight to keep me. And I would be lying to myself if I said that I wasn't just a little excited over that prospect, as wrong as it was. So I remained quiet. There was nothing that I could tell him at that moment that would have helped our situation in any way. He and I had had our chance. We had talked things through and he had decided that my mortality was worth more to him than an existence of love with me by his side. That was his choice.

My choice was to live a life as an equal to my partner. I wanted someone that would not be afraid of hurting me. I wanted someone that would not turn down my request to live my entire existence with them. Edward, obviously, was not that someone.

"Bella," he sighed, sensing my decision. "You love me. I love you, as well. More than you could ever possibly conceive. Don't let that love go to waste. Please? Please, think about this. Think about us."

"I can't."

"Can't? Or won't?"

"A little bit of both, I suppose."

"Why?"

Did he really want to know? There was no better time than the present, I supposed. I had already been honest about everything else so there was no reason to start hiding things from him now. As it was, I was almost entirely certain that he had found out about Emmett and I from at least one person at home. There was no way that they would have all been on guard with their thoughts from him. It had to have slipped by now. Even if it hadn't, he had seen Emmett and I last night and surely read Emmett's mind before his presence was known to us.

"Emmett."

His brow furrowed in confusion. "What about Emmett?"

I cocked my head to the side. His confusion had taken me by surprise and I studied his face carefully. Did he really not know? Great, now _I_ was going to have to explain our already confusing relationship to Edward. Of all times for my mind to be silent, why now? It would have been so much easier for him to simply pluck the information from my mind instead of forcing me to say the words that were bound to hurt him.

"We fell in love, Edward."

He smiled softly at me and brushed my cheek with his fingertips. That was definitely not the reaction that I had been expecting. It caught me entirely off guard and I froze at his touch. He sensed my wariness and brought his other hand to my face, trapping me between his icy hands. He leaned in and brushed the tip of his nose along my collarbone.

"I know," he murmured against my skin.

I froze in place again. My heart stuttered and then restarted in a fervent pace. He knew. He knew and he had made me say the words. What's more, he didn't seem to be reacting negatively to it. That could only mean one of two things for me. Either Edward did not believe me or he was going to fight fiercely to win me back by whatever means necessary. And dazzling me was definitely not fighting fair.

"You can love anyone else in the world that you want, Bella," he murmured, leaving slow kisses on my neck. My brain had already begun to turn to mush and ceased to process his words. "As long as you love me as well. I won't give up."

Those four simple words snapped me back to reality as his lips hovered ominously over my own. I pushed him back with every ounce of strength that I could muster though he did not budge. He hovered above me, his eyes dark and intense.

"Edward," I whispered. "Please don't make me do this. I don't want to hurt you."

"Tell me that you do not love me, Bella. Tell me that you do not love me and I will stop."

"I don't love you anymore." It was a pathetic lie. Even I didn't believe it.

He paused and monitored my expression. Then he smiled that crooked smile that sent my pulse into frenzy and melted my resolve. It was quite obvious that he did not believe me either.

"You don't mean that." His smile grew even wider. "Now I am going to have to make you take back those words."

His lips pressed against mine. The familiar sparks of electricity that I had missed between us buzzed in force. His lips moved slowly against mine. His hands kneaded my back and my neck, pulling me closer to his cool, marble body. My hands betrayed my mind and wrapped themselves around his neck and threaded through his bronze hair. He pulled back just slightly so that his forehead rested against my own and pressed his lips weakly against my own one last time.

"Bella." My name was a reverent sigh on his lips.

I was panting deeply from the intensity of the emotions I was feeling. I knew that I still loved Edward; that much was painfully obvious. I also knew that I could no longer be in a relationship with him when he so clearly did not want me forever in the same sense of the word that I wanted him. It would always be an uneven relationship and that was unacceptable to me.

"You can't even kiss me and mean it."

It had merely been an attempt to provoke him, not an invitation to try again. Yet that seemed to be exactly what he interpreted it as. He growled as he forced his lips against mine once more.

This was not the soft, gentle kisses that I had grown accustomed to. Nor was it the frantic, desperate kisses that he saved for times when he thought that he would never see me again. There was a whole new level of raw emotion seeping from his lips to my own. This kiss was fighting to show me that he could love me in the way that I wanted, the way that I needed. This was him throwing caution to the wind and allowing himself to become absorbed in the feeling and emotion of the moment. This was exactly what I had been struggling to coax out of him ever since I met him.

Edward deepened the kiss further just as I thought that he would finally resort to his impeccable self control and pull away. His cool tongue slid between my parted lips and into my eager mouth. His arms clenched furiously around me and he pulled me into him. His tongue massaged mine with a gentle fervor. He pulled back to allow me a much needed gasp of air as his mouth peppered my neck and jaw with kisses, refusing to break contact with my skin. He murmured my name against my lips as he claimed them with his own once more.

"Wow," I breathed out once he broke the kiss.

"There are truly no words to describe how intensely I love you, Bella."

He held me between his stone arms. It was oddly comforting, probably because of the familiarity of it. He had been my rather hard pillow for quite some time and it was easy to fall back into that. Only my mind was screaming at me that this was not what I wanted anymore.

My heart and my mind were at war with one another. On the one hand, my heart needed Edward. His presence was comforting and almost as essential to my well-being as the air that I breathe. On the other hand, my mind recognized the pain that he could all too easily inflict on my feeble heart if he were ever to leave me again. Of that fact, I was near certain. He had left me twice all too easily. There was nothing anyone could do to prevent him from leaving again.

This had to end. I had made up my mind. Emmett would be waiting for me. He had already told me last night that he was not going to let me walk out on him again. I hoped with every fiber of my being that he truly meant that. This had to be the hardest decision that I had ever made, but it was entirely necessary for my survival. I would not live to breathe if he were to leave me again. I had to let him go this time.

"Edward," I sighed uneasily.

He shifted, sensing the direction my thoughts had taken me. Before I could say another word he lifted a perfect finger and placed it lightly across my lips to silence me.

"You do not have to decide anything right now. I would prefer that you didn't. Not just because I think that it will not be in my favor, but because I know you. You don't act impulsively and are remarkably stubborn once your mind is made. Take your time. Be sure that the choice you make is the one that you are the most certain will make you happy. Even if that is not me, Bella, I only want your happiness. Of course, that doesn't mean that I intend to give up. I'll be fighting for you twice as hard."

I nodded at him, suddenly unable to voice my concerns. Any conviction that my words would have held had melted away when he spoke so sweetly to me. I couldn't bear myself to bring him pain when he did that. I knew it was entirely wrong of me to prolong this, but I am essentially a selfish creature. I loved Edward. But I was not _in love_ with him. My heart belonged to Emmett. It would belong to him for the rest of my existence as long as he would have me.

Edward gazed back into my eyes. It was hypnotic and serene. I could have been happy there. He smiled brightly at me. It appeared for a brief moment that he was going to lean in and kiss me again. Abruptly, he pulled himself up off the bed and walked briskly at human speed towards the window. I looked up at him in confusion.

"I need to meet with Jasper," he explained. "You have nothing to worry about. I will come back for you, Bella. Always."

With those parting words he slipped silently out my window. Suddenly the gravity of the situation came crashing down upon me. I had betrayed Emmett. What's worse, it never even occurred to me that he may have kissed Rosalie when she was back or that she would have kissed him. Now I had insane jealously to top the feelings of self-loathing and disgust. Not to mention the guilt I felt over Edward.

A gentle knock on the front door brought me out of my reverie and emotional rollercoaster. Curious as to whom it was, I made my way cautiously down the stairs. Most of my visitors these days did not bother with a door. I was surprised, as I threw the door open, to find both Alice waiting for me. Why would she use the front door when she knew that I was at home alone?


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **  
*** *** ***

"No one else is going to bother to tell you this until the last minute but since I can see how you would react in that scenario, I'm going against all of them right now and doing things my way."

"English, Alice?"

"Just remember that we have everything under control and there is no need to panic. We just need to get you out of here as quickly as possible to be on the safe side."

"What is it, Alice?" Even though she said not to panic, that's just what I felt like doing.

"It's about Victoria."

My face blanched. "I thought Edward and Rosalie…"

"They did," she interrupted. "But it wasn't enough. They didn't see. They didn't know that she had already amassed an army of newborns to destroy you. And now those newborns are loose and uncontrolled. They'll come here soon to find you."

Right. Because one vampire hell-bent on my demise hadn't been bad enough. Now I had an entire army of them, all bloodthirsty, wild, and vicious, actively searching for me. The rise in the murder toll in Seattle; it all made sense now. How many people had died because of me? Because of Victoria's vendetta against me? I felt sick to my stomach as the numbers appeared in my mind.

Still, this was better than the Volturi searching for me. The newborns were a threat, but they were young and ruled by their instincts. The Cullens had centuries of experience on their side that would help them. It was unlikely that the newborns would have any particular talents, even less likely that they would be aware enough to use them against anyone in a fight.

"Can I help?"

Alice's pale skin turned ever paler. "Absolutely not! We can't fight them off and defend you at the same time. And how are you going to fight a vampire, Bella, really?"

I shook my head. That hadn't been what I had meant at all. I knew my odds of facing a vampire intent on draining me. But that didn't mean that I had to sit back helplessly. There had to be _something_ that I could do to sway the odds in our favor.

"I'd like to send you to Alaska but you won't go and Charlie won't allow any sort of trip that I come up with so close to finals. So instead of that we're having the Denali clan come here. Carmen and Eleazar will keeps tabs on you for us. That leaves Tanya and Kate to help us in the fight."

Keep tabs on me? If the newborns were enough of a threat that they needed to call in back up then maybe I should be there to distract them with my scent. And why should anyone need to watch me in the first place? Did Alice foresee any of the newborns getting past them to find me?

Another thought crossed my mind then. What if the newborns began hunting in town? It was bad enough that they were loose and wild in Seattle killing innocent strangers. I couldn't bear it if they came to Forks and someone I knew was killed inadvertently because of me. That kind of guilt would haunt me forever. Anything that I could do to stop that would have to be done, regardless what it cost me.

Alice must have seen my resolve because her eyes narrowed into tiny slits. She placed one delicate hand on her hip while the other waved an accusing finger in front of me.

"If you think, for even one minute, that anyone in this family will allow you to sacrifice yourself to save us, then you are dead wrong. Think about how much you mean to everyone." She was careful not to say a specific name. "And you're my best friend. None of us are going to allow you to get yourself killed so stupidly. So you just stop those thoughts right there."

I let out a frustrated sigh. "Alice, I can't just sit back and wait for other people to be killed because of me. And you can't protect the entire town. That's impossible."

She smiled serenely at me. "Bella, if you haven't already figured it out by now, nothing is impossible."

:-:-:

I wasn't sure if I was expecting Emmett to visit me that day or not. Don't get me wrong, I was happy to see him, relieved even; I just didn't entirely expect him.

He came by shortly after Alice left. His usual good mood was replaced by impatience and frustration. He didn't want to sit around waiting for the newborns to attack. No, he wanted to go meet them head on and get it over with. That idea had me shaking inside. The idea of him out there, fighting those wild creatures, was terrifying. I knew that Emmett was more than capable of defending himself, but the thought of something, anything, happening to him had me scared senseless.

"And we have bigger problems right now because it is going to be hard to convince the dogs that this was not our doing. They are just salivating over the opportunity to attack us for breaching the treaty."

His confession left me reeling. I had forgotten about the wolves. They weren't going to appreciate more vampires in their territory. Especially not vampires with absolutely no respect for human life. That only added to my list of worries. The wolves would not excuse themselves from this fight; even I knew that without having to ask. The thought of them, soft and human, attacking vampires with all their strength and razor sharp teeth… I shuddered in response.

"I'll talk to Jake," I whispered. "I can explain it to him." Possibly convince him to sit this thing out.

"That would probably be helpful." There was hesitation in his voice that made me wary.

"But…?"

"They'll have to disappear quickly though, afterwards." My expression was confused. "The newborns? Well, that's not really something that a coven like us deals with."

"Who does?" Even though I asked the question, I knew the answer before he ever spoke it.

"The Volturi. And they won't honor a treaty with the dogs."

"Peachy," I muttered. I was about two seconds away from a complete breakdown and only hiding it by focusing on the horrible timing of everything. "How long do we have? Maybe you should just bite me now and get it over with. Then I could help fight the newborns and I won't be human when the Volturi check on me."

Emmett sighed. His face resembled Carlisle's for the briefest flicker of a second. It was aged, matured. "Too soon. And you would be a newborn yourself. You would be just as vulnerable as them and wild. That wouldn't help."

"But I'm already doomed if the Volturi are coming here!" I screamed at him, finally losing my cool. "Or have you already forgotten their threat? I have to be changed or _they_ will kill me. Is this some sort of sick and twisted joke? If I stay human, I die because I know the secret. If I am changed, I die because I won't be able to control myself."

Emmett sat stoically while I released my frustrations. This was not his fault but I had no one else to blame. He was the closest thing available. As horrible as I felt for lashing out at him, I could not find it in me to regret it. After all, if this crazy supernatural world that I lived in did not exist, my life would not be under constant threat.

After a few long moments Emmett smiled his large, dimpled smile. "The moment that Edward came back I made up my mind to change you regardless what the treaty says. And then I found out about the newborns. So we're just going to have to put that plan on hold for a little longer, okay?"

I smiled to myself. It hadn't occurred to me in all of this mess that I never told Emmett my decision. He was fighting for me the same as Edward. Except Emmett knew just which cards to play and when. Offering me everything that I wanted was the perfect hand. It wasn't necessary, I had already chosen him, but it made me love him that much more and solidified my decision.

"You don't have to try to win me, Emmett. I already promised that I wasn't going to leave you. I love you."

He gathered me into his cool, strong arms tenderly. "And I'm not telling you to try to win you over." I shot him a disparaging look. "Okay maybe a little," he conceded with a laugh. "But I want you with me forever, regardless. Even without Edward in the picture, I want to give you forever."

The conversation moved on to the logistics of my safety from that point. Emmett agreed with Alice that I should just stay incognito with Carmen and Eleazar during the fight. On that point I vehemently disagreed. I didn't know them. Sure, they were vegetarians the same as the vampires that I had come to know, love, and trust. But they were still strangers to me. There was no way that I was going to sit with complete strangers while my family was out there fighting to the death to defend me.

Emmett only lost his cool when I suggested that they might have to kill me to entertain themselves during the fight. Why would they _want_ to babysit a human?

We agreed that I would be staying about an hour south of the city and I would stay locked away in a hotel room. It was far enough away to be safe but no so far that I couldn't get back to the family quickly if I needed to. All Alice knew was that the Volturi would arrive after the newborns were disposed of, but not how long after.

Eventually I had to excuse myself to call Jacob. I wasn't looking forward to the conversation that we were about to have and I was still holding a grudge against him. Finally I took a deep breath and dialed the numbers harshly. It wasn't really the phone's fault that I was in this predicament but it was safer to take my frustration out on inanimate objects that couldn't fight back.

Jacob answered on the first ring. His voice was harsh when he barked out the customary greeting. That made it easier for me to stay mad at him.

"I thought that I was supposed to be the one to hold grudges," I snapped into the receiver.

"Bella? Oh, god! Bella! I'm sorry. I thought that was Sam. Really."

I exhaled loudly. It wasn't so easy to stay mad at him when he was apologetic.

"It's fine, Jake, really."

"Thanks, Bells. So do you want to come over? I swear I'll make it up to you. I won't even bad mouth your blood- I mean your friends."

"Umm, see that's sort of the problem. I'm calling you to warn you and the pack."

"What happened?" His voice filled with authority. He wasn't _my_ Jacob anymore.

"Well you remember Victoria? See, she was sort of busy creating newborn vampires. Lots of them. And they are coming here looking for me soon."

He growled into the receiver. "Do we need to come get you?"

"No. The Cullens are handling it. But I didn't want the pack to be surprised when they show up. You guys need to be careful."

Jacob laughed a cynical laugh. "We take care of ourselves just fine. But I do appreciate the warning. Do they know when? I'll need to talk to Sam and coordinate."

"No, Jake. This isn't your fight."

"Please, Bella! These are vampires that we are allowed to kill. Of course this is our fight."

Eventually I gave up trying to convince him otherwise and handed the phone over to Emmett. He knew better than I did what they were expecting and what information needed to be relayed to the pack.

:-:-:

Alice forged Charlie's handwriting and excused me from school on Monday. Finals were in one week but they were the farthest thing from a concern at this point. The Denali clan had arrived the night before. Alice brought me over to make the introductions. I think that she was hoping that I wouldn't consider them strangers so that I wouldn't be difficult. The facts remained the same though; even if I could place a name to a face, the Denali's were strangers to me. Strangers that I apparently had to trust with my life.

"Everything is going to be fine," Emmett promised. "There won't even be enough newborns for the fight to even be fun."

His enthusiasm had me grinding my teeth together. The thought of him anywhere near the savage newborns had my skin crawling. Add that to the fact that he was salivating almost as much as the wolves for a chance to fight them was enough to drive me crazy. Any of the people that I cared about most could be killed in an instant and they still thought that this was a good idea.

I disagreed. The problem was that there wasn't exactly a better idea so I was coerced into going along with this plan. That didn't mean that I had to like it, though. I especially didn't have to like the fact that they were all so eager to put themselves in danger. But I was out of options and quickly running out of time as well.

Carmen had me strapped into the backseat of their car before I ever had a chance to protest. Eleazar was already in the driver seat and gunning the engine. Any thoughts that I had of trying to tuck and roll vanished the second I felt the car flying down the driveway at inhuman speeds. The only thing I would accomplish would be to slow down preparations and cause myself serious injury.

We arrived in Neilton about forty-five minutes later and checked into the first hotel that could be seen from the road. I'm sure that my babysitters were aiming for my comfort but it didn't really matter. We had no intentions of staying there for any length of time and it didn't to me if I just drove the entire time. I wasn't going to be comfortable there or anywhere.

Once inside the room Eleazar disappeared for a quick hunt, leaving me alone with Carmen. It made me slightly nervous to be alone with her, though I wasn't sure why. It wasn't like I was any safer with Eleazar nearby if either of them wanted to turn on me. It was silly, but I couldn't shake the feeling regardless.

She seemed to notice. "You have no need for fear, child. I mean you no harm. Nor does my mate."

I let out a shaky laugh. "I know."

"Then why are you so nervous around me?"

The sincerity of her question had me questioning my sanity. Obviously these vampires were here to protect me. They were keeping me out of harms way and I was rewarding them with suspicion and hesitation. It wasn't fair to them and it was stupid of me. Still, I couldn't entirely shake the feeling.

"It's just that I don't really know you," I explained.

It was a half-truth, but it would do.

Thankfully, that explanation seemed to be logical enough to Carmen. She took it upon herself to calm my worries by launching into a detailed story of her life and how she came to meet Eleazar.

Carmen found the Denali sisters when their mother was still with them; before she created an immortal child and brought doom upon herself. Carmen had been just as traumatized as the Tanya, Kate, and Irina by the experience, but hers was short-lived. Eleazar had been a part of the guard that came to exact the punishment on their mother. When the two of them locked eyes their fate was sealed.

It had been hard for her to accept a man that had played a key role in the destruction of someone that she loved. In the end, though, she understood the reason that she had to be killed along with the child. Eleazar was persistent in courting her, even going so far as to quit the guard and abstain from human blood to stay with her. Eventually Carmen gave in and accepted him into her life.

The sisters were a harder sell. If not for Tanya's determination to live and love rather than dwell on pain and resentment, Carmen and Eleazar might have had to find a home away from them. But Tanya was determined that the rest of their family would not be broken up by the fact that Eleazar was to be Carmen's mate. They stayed and with time all animosity disappeared from the family.

"It's difficult to imagine living any other way than we do now," Carmen admitted with a sigh. "I remember everything before, of course. Still, I can't imagine living different than we do now. If only we could find suitable mates for the sisters, everything would be peaceful and perfect."

"Regaling Bella with our history?"

Eleazar's voice took me by surprise and I jumped in response.

"Sorry, dear. He has a way of sneaking up on you at times. That's how he won me."

The two of them were staring into each other's eyes intimately. It made me miss Emmett and wonder what everyone was doing at that moment.

Would they be situated and preparing for the fight? Had it already begun? Did the wolves join in or would they have sat it out? Had anyone been injured, or worse, killed? Would anyone be?

My mind was reeling and my stomach churning at the very real possibilities. A knock at the door of our room made me, already jumpy from the stress of the day, scream in horror.


	12. Chapter 12

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

**:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:**

Carmen hushed me and rubbed soothing circles on my back as Eleazar opened the door. We were all stunned to find Edward standing there with frantic eyes. He gave me a sympathetic smile - probably in reaction to my scream – and then pushed his way into the room.

"We need to move you, Bella, and we don't have time to waste."

"What's wrong?" Eleazar placed himself between Edward and I and took on a defensive posture.

Edward glanced between Carmen and Eleazar warily, judging from their stances what he was about to say. "Irina is tracking Bella."

Someone gasped. It might have been Carmen. All that I knew was that the room was suddenly spinning as I tried to come to terms with that little tidbit. Would it never end? Did it even matter if I lived anymore when there were so many creatures intent on my destruction?

"Why?" Eleazar asked, confusion evident in his tone.

"The wolves," Edward responded. "She is holding Bella personally responsible for her association with the wolves that killed Laurent."

There was a hiss at my side but I couldn't find it in me to care who it was. The room began to spin faster and everything blurred at the edges. I was vaguely aware that Edward had moved to stand in front of me and his lips were moving as if he were speaking to me. But I couldn't hear anything other than the buzzing in my ears as a gray tunnel clouded everything in the room. His golden eyes, wide with panic, were the last things that I saw before the gray consumed everything and I felt my body collapse.

I'm not sure how long I was out, but it couldn't have been too long. I could feel cool hands on my arms, several pairs of them. One set of hands was brushing against my forehead and down my cheek with a feather soft touch.

It was Edward's voice that I heard first. "Bella? Bella, come back to me. You have to wake up, sweetheart."

I groaned, feeling a painful throb in my head. Edward let out a sigh of relief from beside me. My eyes opened to find him staring back at me intently. From my periphery I could see Carmen and Eleazar huddled together and watching me. I didn't have time for them, though. There was something more pressing than their concern for my human weakness. Edward had said that I needed to be moved before Irina found me.

"How do you know she's looking for me?"

He didn't have to answer. I should have known before I asked. Still, he answered anyway.

"Alice. She caught a vision of her finding you here while we were distracted."

"And the others?"

Did it really matter what happened to me? Edward being here left them one person short in the fight against the newborns. What if that made a difference in the odds? What if that was the difference between life and death for someone I knew? Someone I loved.

"We still have some time. But first I have to get you to safety."

Another thought occurred to me as I stared at his outstretched hands. "Why are you the one here?" I asked. "And why didn't Emmett come? I mean, if I'm in danger, wouldn't he care?"

This was quickly moving into dangerous territory. I had allowed myself to become too dependent upon Emmett. If he didn't even care to come whisk me away now rather than ripping apart newborns, could I ever really trust him? Perhaps I had deluded myself into thinking that he cared for me more than he actually did.

"I had to move quickly. There wasn't time for explanation. We need to move now, Bella."

Again, his hand stretched out towards me. He was begging, pleading with me to take it and not question what was happening. My mind knew that this was no time to have second thoughts about his intentions. Regardless what his feelings were for me, and how I would later convince him that I felt otherwise, I needed to trust him to keep me safe. Still, I hesitated.

I would be placing my safety in Edward's hands, not Emmett's. It almost felt like a betrayal to me. It was right on par with the kiss that Edward and I shared just a few nights before. I didn't want to do anything that jeopardized my relationship with Emmett. While Edward would still be there, waiting for me, I did not think that I could physically survive the heartbreak should Emmett walk away from me. And he might he leave me if I chose to place my faith in Edward. He might leave if he thought that I chose someone other than him.

Edward did not wait for me to finish my internal war. And I did not resist because my mind was aware that it I was going to survive to make it back to Emmett, I would have to trust Edward. Even Emmett would have to understand that reasoning. He was not here so I would have to go along with his rival, his brother, to keep myself safe and alive until he could find me again.

He slipped my parka on my arms before I had time to register the movement. In one swift movement, he slung me over his back and took off in a full sprint towards the ominous forest. The wind whipped across my face so I buried my face down against his marble neck. I was thankful that Edward had enough foresight to have me put on my parka. The outside air was cold enough but the wind factor was blistering. Edward's normally frigid body temperature seemed warm compared to the bone-chilling wind that his speed created. I shivered against him and clung on tighter in case my limbs numbed from the cold and I slipped off.

After maybe ten or fifteen minutes Edward slowed to a walk. He gently pried me from my stiff position on his back and cradled me against his chest. I pressed my ear up against the hollow where his heart was, the same way that he had done so many times with me, and listened. I knew that I would not hear a heartbeat. I had hoped that if I listened hard enough, his heart would give me some inclination about what he wanted, why he was here.

He chuckled softly sending vibrations through my body as he held me against him. "Bella, love, you do realize that you won't hear anything. Right?"

I glanced up at him to find his eyes dancing with delight and amusement. It was easy to remember every reason that I had fallen in love with Edward in the first place when he was in this mood. He was light and carefree. It was just the two of us. There were no worries, no concerns, no heated debates about souls and immortality. We were just Edward and Bella.

Correction; we _were_ Edward and Bella. He had made it quite clear that it was possible for him to leave me because he did so twice. Until then, I had never conceived it possible that anything could tear me away from him. I was wrong. Edward was the reason that I left him. I could not waste my life waiting for someone that was afraid to commit to me, to us, because of irrational fears over my soul and the danger that I was in.

Carmen and Eleazar caught up with us then and surveyed the area. There was nothing special about the spot we were in. It was just a clearing in the trees next to a small stream of water. It might have been pretty if we were in any other sort of situation. I sat down on the damp grass and waited for someone, anyone, to explain to me what was happening and what I was supposed to do.

It was Carmen that broke the silence. "You should return, Edward. We will keep your _Bella_ safe. Don't let your family down. Go fight for their safety and hers."

Edward shook his head adamantly. "They can manage without me."

"Edward." Eleazar's voice was condescending. "Irina will never harm her. She won't look for us here. Go."

Edward hesitated for a moment before turning to face me then with a pained expression. His brilliant eyes, normally sparkling with emotion, were darker at the edges. He took my hands in his own and held them firmly between us. It felt intimate and immediately I tried to pull my hands back but his iron grip held them in place.

"This feels wrong," he began. "But they're right. I do need to return for the fight." His eyes became bright with emotion. "I promise you, Bella, that I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety. Just promise me that you'll listen to Carmen and Eleazar. Don't try to do anything brave to save anyone."

I wasn't entirely sure what he meant but I nodded anyway. He placed a soft kiss on my forehead before releasing my hands and sprinting off through the trees.

Everything felt surreal. Carmen and Eleazar scanned the trees surrounding us vigilantly while I slumped to the ground. Here I had all but been whisked away despite my protests in order to protect me from bloodthirsty newborns, all of whom were hell bent upon drinking _my_ blood. Then, because that wasn't bad enough, I had to escape my hiding place so that Irina wouldn't find me and punish me for my association to Laurent's death. And if all of that wasn't enough to scare me to my grave, the Volturi were still on their way. Even if I survived the first two, would I survive their inspection? I seriously doubted it. It seemed as though, one way or another, today would be the death of me.

I was snapped out of my morbid reverie by Carmen's flashing movement. One moment she had been to my right, silently pacing. The next she was at Eleazar's side on my left and whispering in his ear. He whispered something back to her and gave her a gentle nudge. She looked at him warily before she, too, disappeared into the thick cover of the forest.

"Eleazar?"

"Hush now, Bella."

It didn't seem that I was going to be getting any explanation, though I feared that I knew the answer already. There was only one reason that Eleazar would send away his mate at a time like this. He would never risk Carmen in a fight. Irina must have found us anyway and been closer than I ever thought she would be.

Oddly, this revelation relieved me. While I didn't want any harm to come to either Eleazar or Carmen, it was easier to think about them here than someone that I cared about like Emmett. If I could just convince Eleazar that I wasn't worth dying over, then no one would be hurt. Except for me, naturally. But it wasn't as if I honestly expected to make it out of this unscathed. Death had claimed my life long before and now I was expected to pay my debt.

A shadowy figure emerged from the line of trees before I could speak another word. Her silhouette was enough to make any woman jealous, curves in all the right places. Her pale skin contrasted beautifully against the raven color of her long, sleek hair. While her eyes were the same tawny color of a vegetarian, they were filled with anger.

"Irina," Eleazar greeted coolly.

"Move aside, brother. I mean you no harm."

He shook his head. "I've been instructed to protect the girl. Not even you are exempt from that."

She hissed and pulled her lips back over her gleaming teeth. "You know that she deserves to die."

"She's earned no such fate. Bella had nothing to do with the deaths of either James or Laurent. It was not her fault that they pursued her. You know this as well as I."

"Laurent did not pursue her," Irina protested. Her glare focused on me.

"Regardless, it was not Bella that was responsible for his death."

"You're right," she conceded, her eyes moving back to Eleazar. "Those vile dogs are to blame."

Her eyes glinted and she cocked her head to the side. She pursed her lips up into an almost amused smirk. She seemed to be considering something, though I wasn't sure what and was almost certain that I wouldn't like whatever it was.

"I am willing to make a trade," Irina finally said. "If I am allowed to exterminate the wolves, I will forgive your role in Laurent's demise."

"That is out of the question," Eleazar answered for me.

"They're my friends," I whispered weakly. "I would never let anyone harm them."

"Then it seems that we have a bit of a dilemma here," she sang. "Either you or the wolves will pay in blood for Laurent's death. Which will it be?"

"Irina, I will defend her even against you. You have one last chance to escape. I consider you my sister and it will pain me to be forced to destroy you now."

"Then stand down, Eleazar," she hissed back at him with a pointed glare in my direction. "No one will know the difference."

He growled in response. Irina did not respond. Instead, she sank down into her own crouch and began a slow sidestep that Eleazar matched. It was slow and methodical. Each step she took was matched in time with one of his. Every now and then her gaze would flicker away from him to catch a glimpse of me, motionless behind him. She jumped forward, towards me, and Eleazar knocked her back into the trees just as swiftly.

"Don't move," he commanded quietly.

I wasn't sure if he was talking to me or not, but I adhered to his command. Even if I wanted to, my legs were not functioning. I could not run if my life depended on it; and it most certainly did.

Ice cold fingers grasped around my arm and jerked me back into a stone embrace. Before I could scream, a second hand clamped over my mouth to silence the sound. My heart beat frantically in my chest, a sure sign of my distress. There was no pain but I could feel the wind whipping past me and I was aware that we were running. I had no idea for how long, in what direction, or even if we were being followed.

When I finally opened my eyes, I found that we were back inside the hotel room. Carmen watched me carefully. I felt very self-conscious under her watchful gaze. She reached towards me when I sat up and I immediately flinched back.

"No one is going to hurt you, Bella," she reassured.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Eleazar dealt with her." It was obvious that this was painful for her to admit. "I had to leave so that I could circle around and get you out of there without her seeing me."

"And Eleazar?"

"Perfectly fine, not even a scratch."

We both looked up to see him standing in the doorway with a grim smile. Carmen exhaled in relief and threw herself into his waiting arms. I let out my own sigh of relief. So far it looked as though no one was going to be hurt on my behalf. That was promising.

"Did you…?" Carmen's questioned trailed off when Eleazer shook his head.

"She is our sister, after all. She ran off shortly after you took Bella."

My eyes widened as I realized that Irina was still out there and probably still seeking revenge. If her rage wasn't directed at me, that only left the wolves. How could Eleazar have been so careless as to let her get away?

"But the wolves!" I protested. "She'll go after them!"

"And the wolves are more than capable of defending themselves against a lone vampire," he responded in a detached voice. He didn't like the idea of harm coming to her more than the idea of her hunting the wolves.

"Well, it should all be over soon," Carmen said while holding her mate closely. "Then we can go home and forget about this wretched day."

While I was a nervous wreck inside, I couldn't have agreed with her more. I just wanted this day to be over with so that I could go home and see Emmett again. I wanted the fight to be done so that I could be sure that no one I loved was injured… or worse. And I wanted to put an end to the rivalry between Emmett and Edward.

I had no desire to ever be in this sort of danger again, particularly not as a human. However, even I could recognize the fact that danger followed me regardless how I tried to escape it. In the future, it should be Emmett running to my rescue, not Edward.

A few hours later we finally got the call that we had been waiting for. Esme called to let us know that everything had happened as Alice predicted, minus the blind spots caused by the wolves. Only Jacob had been injured but it wasn't life threatening. My stomach twisted in sickening ways when I heard that he was hurt. No one deserved to be hurt because of me.

I was eager to get back home and check on Jacob. My feet tapped impatiently against the floor of the car while Eleazar sped down the highway. Thankfully neither he nor Carmen asked me to stop. I didn't know that I would have been able to control myself anyway.

Watching the scenery fly by at alarming speeds, I had never wished so desperately for someone to drive faster. Even at more than a hundred miles an hour, it felt like we were crawling back instead of racing.


	13. Chapter 13

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing.**

**:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:**

It was early evening by the time that we arrived back in Forks at the Cullen residence. I was bouncing in my seat the entire way up the road that led to their driveway in nervous excitement. I had no idea what to expect, I just hoped that I was able to see Emmett and Jacob soon.

Emmett answered that concern for me by pulling me from the car before the car ever finished parking. He lifted me out of the seat fluidly and swung me around twice in the air. I buried my face into his hard chest in a vain attempt to keep myself from going dizzy. He laughed heartily at me and set me down, still hugging me tightly to him. Too tightly.

"Emmett!" I managed to squeak out. "Can't… breathe!"

He laughed again and released me just a fraction from his iron hold. One hand lifted my chin so that I would look directly at him. Though my head was still spinning, I had never seen him clearer. His smile was radiant and warmed me to the core. His eyes were a twinkling amber; cool, smooth, and full of mischief. His dimples were deep and devilishly handsome on his already perfect face.

"I missed you," he said. His eyes were full of unspoken emotion. "I was worried about you the entire time that you were away from me. I couldn't stop thinking of you. Of course, I did have those pesky newborns to entertain me for awhile," he teased with a wink.

I laughed at that. Leave it to Emmett to find the humor in an army of newborns sent to kill me. Yet, he did just that. Belatedly it occurred to me that he had been worried. Had he known about Alice's vision? Is that why he was worried? It wasn't comforting to know that he had known and had Edward to come in his place.

"Don't worry, Irina never touched me."

"Irina what? What's wrong with Irina?" His forehead scrunched up in the most adorable way and his brow furrowed in his confusion.

Well, this was not exactly how I had hoped this conversation would go, although it did ease my concern that he had left it up to Edward to protect me instead of taking it upon himself. That meant that Alice and Edward never told him about what she had seen. I could only hope that the motivation behind it was so that no one would lose focus on the fight that loomed before them rather than being distracted by worrying about me. Edward always said that he was easily distracted, maybe Emmett was too.

I sucked in a deep breath as I prepared myself to answer him. "She came after me, Emmett. She wanted to kill me to avenge Laurent's death."

His warm amber eyes turned black instantaneously. All traces of good humor dissolved from his face. At that moment, he truly looked as lethal as he was. It was only my deep rooted trust in him that kept me grounded instead of letting my fear spiral out of control. He was angry, not thirsty, and I just had to cool him down.

"How did you get away?" he asked, his eyes quickly scanned my body. He had to make sure that I was still in one piece and not damaged. He then locked me in a penetrating gaze, demanding the answer from me.

Only part of the answer managed to escape my lips. "Edward-"

Emmett growled. He released me from his grip hastily and started pacing in front of me. His erratic behavior only confirmed my previous assumptions; my being alone with Edward was a mistake. Of course he assumed the worst. Of course he assumed that there was more to the story than Edward being there to warn us about Irina. While he should have known that I was completely and entirely devoted to him, maybe he didn't. There was a time, not that long ago, that I would have rejoiced in Edward coming back to me for any reason; Emmett knew that. Not anymore. Thanks to Emmett, never again.

"Emmett," I pleaded in a meek whisper.

He held his hand up to silence me, never once looking in my direction and never faltering in his steps. I cringed back feeling entirely discarded by the man that I loved. These vampires truly would be the death of me. Only, not in the sense that one would suspect.

I felt a cool arm wrap around my shoulder and looked over to find Alice smiling sadly at me. Jasper was by her side wearing a similar smile. She gently pulled me towards the house and, for once, I did not resist. I cast one last fleeting look over my shoulder at Emmett as we walked away. He never once looked in my direction, further cementing my resolve to leave him before he left me.

Once inside, I fell into Alice's waiting arms. I tried; I really tried, to hold back the sobs. I didn't want anyone to see me this weak, particularly not Emmett. I would not let him know how much his reaction affected me. I did not want him to choose to stay with me out of guilt. Already I had deluded myself into believing that he would always be with me, no matter what my ridiculous luck threw at us. I would not let my weakness force him into a pathetic relationship with a weak human girl.

"Just give him some time," Jasper murmured.

Alice nodded in agreement. "He just needs time to think, Bella. Emmett is insanely irrational and possessively jealous when it comes to women."

"I should know," Jasper added with a smirk.

We all shared a short, awkward laugh at that. Of course Emmett had been irrational and jealous before; he had Rosalie, the goddess of beauty herself. Now – correction - before, it was me. What was there about me that could make him irrational or jealous about me?

Jasper sighed. "You really should stop doubting yourself, Bella. He loves you, of that I'm positive. He's just furious and irritated at the moment, and I would be willing to bet that the brunt of that, if not all, is directed at Edward."

That made me snort. Sure, he was probably a little upset with Edward. But he would be furious, as Jasper phrased it, at me. I had betrayed him. I had let Edward kiss me in my bedroom and kissed him back. I had put my trust in Edward and gone with him once he came to the hotel to warn us. I had betrayed Emmett's trust in me. He had every reason to be furious with me. And the irritation? Well, I suppose anyone would be a little irritable when they have to figure out how to tell their cheating girlfriend to take a hike in front of their entire family; especially when you just fought a mob of crazed newborn vampires to protect said girlfriend.

Jasper groaned and shook his head. He looked up, his golden eyes fierce with determination. "Would you like to feel what he feels for you?"

I shook my head no. There was no way that my fragile body could withstand the pain of feeling that intense form of rejection that I had just witnessed. Like I said before, these vampires would surely be the death of me.

From the corner of my eye I caught Alice nod once at Jasper. I was instantly suspicious but before I had a chance to ask I was engulfed in the warmest of sensations imaginable; pure, raw, joyous love. The kind of love that brings a smile to your face and warms you from the inside out. The kind of love that makes even the harshest, most brutal of lives worth waking up to each day, just to experience it anew; the kind of love that I felt for Emmett.

Why would Jasper show me my own emotions? I knew that I loved Emmett. I didn't need proof of that. However, Jasper said he wanted to show me what Emmett felt for me. Only, this could not be right. He had dropped me out of his embrace like I burned him. Hatred burned black in his eyes as he glared at me. This could not possibly be what he felt. This had to be what he _had_ felt; before I betrayed his trust, his love.

"Don't doubt it, Bella. And don't doubt me. I know what he feels every time he sees you. Have faith in Emmett, he loves you more than even he can comprehend."

I shook my head violently, refusing to give in to hope. "He doesn't want me anymore."

The tears broke free then. Alice cradled me against her chest and rocked me softly, swaying to her gentle hum. I allowed her to comfort me because I needed to feel some form of acceptance at that moment. I needed to know that someone still cared for me. I was selfish and I would take what I could get. That didn't mean that I was happy about it. I wanted to be strong enough to hold these emotions off until I was safely at home where no one would hear me.

I was vaguely aware of her shifting beneath me as I cried. Her soothing motions resumed in less than a second. It was only a mere falter in her movements. I wrote it off as being nothing more than a passing vision that distracted her briefly. Her hand brushed through my hair. The touch of her cool skin was a welcome relief after I had spent so long crying. It was soothing. I basked in the feeling of being cared for and a small smile tugged at the corners of my lips.

I looked up, meaning to thank Alice for allowing me my break down while she comforted me. When my eyes met Emmett's I was shocked. He looked down at me with a worried expression upon his face. His brow puckered and his arms relaxed around me. It was then that it registered to me the alarm that must have been written across my own face. I quickly corrected my expression to a blank one. I still could not trust myself and I would not let him figure me out by my expression. I still had some dignity.

Jasper chuckled at my emotions. He now sat across the room with Alice perched on his lap, the little traitor she was. "We'll let you two to it then." The two of them stole away quietly.

I was hesitant, but eventually I turned my focus back to Emmett. He looked as apprehensive as I felt. That was oddly comforting to me. Perhaps he did still care about me. That would explain his hesitation if he was afraid of my rejection since I was still acting so detached. If that were the case, I could easily squash his fears. If I was wrong, at least I would only be hurting myself.

Slowly, unsure of myself, I placed my wavering hand on his arm. It was a simple gesture. To anyone else this would have been void of any significance. I knew what it meant though, and so would Emmett. This was me placing my trust back into him; this was me reaching out to him to let him back into my heart.

It could have ended in only two scenarios and I prepared myself for both. Either he would flinch back and my previous thoughts of rejection would be confirmed, or he would remain still and smile at me, signaling that everything was alright between us.

To my great surprise, he chose a third option. His eyes, which hand been following the trajectory of my hand, flew up to meet mine the instant that I made contact with his skin. He smiled that breathtaking, dimpled grin and pulled me to him at vampire speed, quite nearly crushing me to his chest.

"I thought I lost you," he murmured into my ear.

His nose brushed along my neck and he inhaled my unique aroma deeply. I knew how the scent must burn his throat, though not nearly as painful as it was for Edward. Still, I was a human and a mouthwatering temptation.

Eventually his tight embrace relaxed without releasing me. For that, I was eternally grateful. Even though I was chilled, there was nowhere other than his arms that I wanted to be. I must have shivered because I was suddenly wrapped in a warm cashmere blanket. It smelled faintly of Emmett and made me smile. I was curious as to how the blanket had been warmed, since no one that lived in this house was physically capable of transferring the necessary body heat, so I looked up at Emmett quizzically.

"I put it in the dryer for a few minutes while Alice held you," he explained with another heart stopping smile. "I knew that once I got you in my arms I wasn't letting go again and I figured that you would appreciate the gesture a bit more if you weren't freezing to death."

"Thank you," I murmured. My voice sounded foreign, even to me. I had been crying far too long and it had taken its toll on my vocal cords.

Emmett handed me a glance of water. I took it from him appreciatively and drank the entire glass down. The water settled and sloshed in my stomach as I readjusted. That only made Emmett laugh and his vibrations caused even more sloshing in my stomach, making him laugh even harder. It was a truly vicious cycle, and at my expense. I blushed deeply. The blood stained my cheeks, my nose, even my neck. It was too much to hope for that Emmett would not notice. Of course he had already noticed the embarrassing noises that my stomach was capable of producing. How much worse could this be?

A thought occurred to me. "Do you slosh after you hunt?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, our bodies absorb our… nutrients fairly quickly. We do get that same full feeling as you though. But the blood doesn't settle in our stomach so it can't slosh."

Interesting. Yet another reason why I would rather be a vampire, no more embarrassing intestinal or stomach noises. Though it did make me curious; if a vampire over-indulged, what would happen? Would they get sick and regurgitate it like a human would? Their physical form is frozen in place so a gluttonous vampire would not get fat… lucky! But how would their body compensate when they have more than satiated their thirst? I would have to test that theory sometime.

"I should make sure that you are well fed though." He grimaced slightly at the words. "Honestly, I think I need to get an alarm to remind me to feed you since you have to eat so often." The humor was back in his words despite his appearance.

My stomach growled on cue. I hadn't realized that I had gone all day without food and now the hunger pains flared up full force.

"And I should tie a bell around yours and Alice's necks so that you can't sneak up on me."

I briefly considered how I could pull that one off while Emmett's laughter boomed throughout the house. Perhaps I could be sly enough to slip it around their necks unnoticed when I gave them a hug. Not that they wouldn't notice and disregard it afterwards, but it might be worth a try.

"It won't work, Bella," Alice's voice sang from upstairs. The amusement was evident in her voice as well.

I huffed indignantly. "Is that because I really won't be able to or because you know if you tell me that that I won't even try?"

She giggled again. "You aren't that subtle."

Emmett finally stopped laughing and pulled over a tray with a variety of breakfast foods. There was a mushroom omelet, buttered toast, bacon, sausage, even fresh melon cubes accompanied by a brimming glass of orange juice. It was quite the impressive spread and much more than I could ever hope to eat.

"You cooked?"

"Someone has to take care of my favorite human and her frequent dietary needs. And you skipped breakfast." His voice was only mildly accusing. "So, taste everything and tell me what you like."

"Emmett?" I asked cautiously and waited until he met my gaze. "You do know that you are spoiling me, right?" He nodded with a slight grin. "And you do know that I don't like other people doing things for me, right?" He nodded again, his grin faltering. "Anyone but you, that is. Thank you."

His grin reappeared and he flashed his milky white teeth at me. "You're welcome, cupcake. Now eat so that you have the strength you need to tell me about what happened with Irina."

I audibly gulped. "Sometime before the fight with the newborns, Alice saw a vision of her coming for me." Emmett pointed at my food and his eyes hardened at her name. I took a slow bite of my omelet – it was surprisingly delicious - and continued. "Edward caught it in her mind so he rushed to warn us and make sure I would be safe." I paused to take another bite.

"And were you?"

"No," I whispered after I swallowed. "She came for me, just like Alice saw."

Emmett groaned and rubbed his head with a large hand. "Why didn't they tell me about this? I should have been there for you!"

I smiled apologetically at him. "He said that they would need you for the fight. You know how it is, they need someone strong to take down those crazy newborns," I said, winking at him. It worked, he cracked a small smile at me. "Anyway, Carmen and Eleazar convinced him to come back for the fight. Irina showed up just like expected and Carmen took me away. Eleazar made sure she wouldn't follow us before he came back to the hotel."

"He left her alive?" Emmett shouted.

I was only able to nod in confirmation. His sudden outburst stunned me into silence. His eyes darkened and he stared into the distance above my head. I could only wonder what thoughts were going through his mind, but I had the distinct feeling that they were not pleasant.

"You know," Emmett began slowly, no trace of his usual jovial personality in his voice. "I almost felt thankful to Edward for a moment. He may be my biggest competition, but I can at least appreciate a good deed that involves your safety. But then he had to throw that right out the window but leaving before he was sure you were safe. And then to find out that Irina is still alive? He should have stayed and killed her when he had the chance." He looked back at me, holding my gaze. "I would have."

Somehow, that did not surprise me. Emmett was always looking for a fight and that would have been the most acceptable of opportunities. More than that, though, he was fiercely protective, as Jasper had said.

It was impossible, while sitting curled up into his chest and allowing him to care for my every need, not to see how much he loved me. My resolve only faltered in his absence. There was still something about separation that made me incredibly anxious and worrisome. Now that he was here with me again, I knew that he loved me. I knew that he would never allow anything to come between us; not Edward, not bloodthirsty vampires, and not vampires out for vengeance. He would have killed Irina.

Besides Irina, there was still one more threat. Alice had alluded to the Volturi coming to deal with the newborns. That wasn't going to be necessary, as it were, but they would still be on their way here. And I'm still human. That was bound to pose a small problem.

"When are the Volturi going to be here?"

He shut his eyes and ruffled my hair lightly. He opened his eyes and spoke at the same time. "Later. Right now you need to eat."

The answer was infuriating because I knew that they were coming. The only part I didn't know was when and impatience was eating at me. However, Emmett was right. I was unbelievably hungry after having skipped all meals.

I finished my breakfast-for-dinner with Emmett watching me curiously as I took each bite. It was almost unnerving, but the way he looked at me as I wrapped my lips around the fork sent my heart into overdrive. His eyes were a deep shade of gold, bordering on black as he watched me. The faint curve of his lips attracted my attention just as much as my lips attracted his. Emmett had never been sexier than at that moment, watching me intently; his eyes full of hunger, for me.

:-:-:

Even after a few hours with Emmett I hadn't forgotten that Jacob had been hurt and I was anxious to see him. Emmett was less than fond of this idea but he agreed to let me go with the promise that I rode with Carlisle during the time that he planned to check up on Jacob and that I be careful while there. Apparently the Quiluetes had come to trust Carlisle seeing as he was the only one with medical training and knowledge of the supernatural. The uneasy alliance between the wolves and the vampires during the fight had earned him some trust and they were thankful that he offered his services for Jacob.

I sat out in the living room and chatted briefly with Billy while Carlisle examined Jacob. Frequently during our conversation we would be interrupted by Jacob screaming out expletives at something that Carlisle had done. Billy didn't even flinch and I figured that he had simply become accustomed to it and did not actually fear for his son's safety. While I knew that Jacob was in no danger, it was nice to see someone accept that as readily as I did.

Finally, I was permitted to go to Jacob's room to see him. He beamed at me as I walked shyly into his room. Apart from his radiant smile, he looked horrible. Both his right arm and leg were covered in bandages and he looked like he had been battered.

"Oh, Jake!" I sighed.

He laughed loudly. "I survived. I'm glad that your leeches let you come visit me, Bells."

"Jake," I scolded. "Be nice. Carlisle is taking care of you."

"Sure, sure. So, did you finally decide that you wanted someone warm to love?" His voice was teasing, but only slightly.

I rolled my eyes and sat down heavily on the bed next to his bandaged leg. He winced and scrunched up his nose from the pain of the vibrations. That earned a smug smirk from me.

"I came to check on my best friend. You were hurt and you shouldn't have been. I had to know that you were alright."

"Right," he snickered. "I think you got tired of freezing anytime you wanted to hug your bloodsucker and wanted a real man to hold you tight."

I scowled at him and turned to face the wall. That only provoked his rant though.

"And now you can't even look at me because you know I'm right. You know how attracted you are to me, especially since I'm sitting here half naked." He paused and I blushed furiously. Not because I had been checking him out, but because I had just realized that he was right. He was sitting less than a foot away from me half naked in bed. "Look at you! You're already imaging ways that we can be together that could never happen with that bloodsucker."

"I am _not_!" I snapped at him. "I'm imagining a slow and painful death for you for even suggesting that I was staring at you."

He laughed again. "So you want to take it slow, huh? I can do slow. Anything for you, Bella." His voice was abruptly tender.

I refused to answer that. He was purposely leading the conversation down a dangerous path. I did not want to hurt him any more than I already had, especially not when he was still healing from the attack. I was also not about to deny my feelings or intentions with Emmett and I hoped that he would not press that matter.

After a moment of silence Jacob took the hint. "Alright, purely a social call. I got it. How long can you stay?"

"I'm here until Carlisle gets tired of listening to you talk bad about his kind. He's my ride."

I couldn't resist adding in the little reprimand for Jacob. He had to know that I felt strongly that these vampires were practically family to me and that degrading them was hurtful to me as well as them. Whether he understood that or not, he took the hint and changed topics.

"We're having a bonfire in a week. You should come with us. The whole pack will be there and we'll be telling all the old legends. Er, well, I guess they aren't really legends, are they?" he amended. "So, will you come?"

I sighed. "I don't know, Jake. I don't think that they will appreciate having the 'vampire girl' around at the bonfire."

"They won't mind," he argued quickly. "I'll make sure of it. You're my guest and they'll be nice. I promise. Please? We never spend time together anymore." He pouted his lip out for good measure. "I promise, just friends. Come with me."

I shook my head with a smile. It seemed that everyone had perfected the pout in order to make me cave into their wishes. It wasn't going to work this time, but it did make feel very guilty.

"I'll think about it, okay?"

Jacob seemed pleased enough by my compromise. Shortly after that Carlisle appeared in the doorway and asked if I was ready to leave. I took my cue and said my good-bye to Jacob before he could get any more bright ideas about trying to persuade me to start a romantic relationship with him.

There were only two things left on my agenda; figure out when the Volturi were expected, and go home to Charlie. Chances are he already figured out that I skipped class for the day and that was bound to be a fun conversation.

Charlie would be mad at me; that was a given. He would probably be disappointed too. After all, I'm a good student, I rarely do anything to get into trouble, and I take school seriously. What would he think when he learned that I ditched exactly a week before finals in my senior year? His stance about Emmett being a bad influence for me wasn't going to be lessened by this little stunt.

I glanced over at Carlisle who was studiously watching the road as he drove me to Charlie's house. He had to have noticed me staring at him but he made no move to acknowledge it. I sighed loudly and slumped into the seat hoping to draw his attention. It worked. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips but he remained otherwise silent and motionless with the exception of the slight turn of the steering wheel. We were getting too close to Charlie's house so I decided that if I wanted answers, I would have to ask the questions.

"When does Alice see the Volturi getting here?"

Carlisle had centuries of experience controlling his reactions. So it did not surprise me when he carefully guarded his expression before turning to me with a quizzical smile.

"You don't need to worry about that, Bella. We'll have the situation under control."

"That isn't what I asked. I want to know when they are going to be here."

"Bella, do you really think that worrying about their arrival is going to help you sleep at night?"

That made me stop and think for a moment. He had a point. No, he had an excellent point. Already images of horror flooded my mind as I thought about the devilish little Jane baring her teeth at me. She was probably imagining various painful ways to kill me since her unique talent for pain didn't work on me. I shuddered in response to that.

Then again, not knowing would be so much worse. They could arrive at my home in the middle of the night. It could be while I was eating dinner with Charlie, during graduation, while I was visiting Angela. They wouldn't care what sort of trivial human occasion was going on. I had broken the rules and that demanded punishment.

I shook my head. "I need to know."

For the first time, I managed to coax an expression from him. His eyes widened in surprise before he composed his features again.

"Soon, in the next couple days we think."

I nodded in response. A couple days. Only a couple days left to live, a couple human days with Emmett until my life would be over. It was a painful reality to accept, but I found the strength. I would not let that thought hang over my head and ruin what was left of my existence.

Carlisle left me at Charlie's porch with a sad smile. He seemed to sense my reluctance to go home. But we both knew that this was inevitable. It was better to start my good-byes now before I was out of time.

As expected, Charlie was blue in the face with anger when he found me at home. He was so upset with me that all coherent thought escaped him. After he finally gained control over himself he ranted for over an hour about my lack of respect and responsibility. Then he made me feel even worse by telling me how he had such high expectations for me and that I had let him down. The fact that he told me so bluntly just made it worse. Charlie never verbalized his emotions. So when he did, I listened.

Yes, my actions were justified because it was for his safety as well as my own. I would not have a newborn vampire tracking me to Charlie's house and attacking him instead. But it was irresponsible and selfish on my part to assume that he would only be angry with me over it. I should have known that he cared, that he worried.

I was grounded to my room until the school year was up. It wasn't exactly a long term sentence but I got the picture. I accepted his punishment without complaint because I knew that my time with my dad was limited anyway. I didn't want to have an argument be my final conversation with him. I could give Charlie peace of mind for that long.

Two days later and I was anxious. Emmett stayed with me as often as he could and refused to leave me even to hunt. I knew he was getting thirsty but he seemed to sense the urgency to be with me for as long as we had left as much as I did. I knew that the thirst must be painful for him but if he was willing to ignore it then I would follow his lead.

Emmett had suggested that we spend the afternoon playing baseball. Well, to be honest, I would be watching while they played. It was a stormy day and the perfect cover for their games. Charlie was busy at work since a couple of his deputies had called in sick lately and the paperwork was getting behind. At first I was hesitant to leave, but Alice assured met that my compliant behavior had given him no reason to distrust me or call to check in on me. Even if he did, they would have more than enough time to get me home and I could pretend that I had just come out of the shower and missed the phone if he questioned me about it.

Everything was going perfectly until Alice's eyes glazed over while she stood on the pitcher's mound. I felt an odd sense of déjà vu as I watched her blank expression. Jasper was at her side in an instant asking her what she saw. Her brows pulled together and she looked across the field and back at me. Edward held a panicked expression as he alternately looked between Alice and I.

"Nothing," her trill voice rang out.

Emmett stiffened next to me as the wind blew. At first, I assumed it was my scent being blown in his direction and tempting his control. That was, until I realized that every pair of eyes except mine was focused on the east side of the tree line intently. I watched carefully though I saw nothing. Emmett's low growl startled me. He moved stealthily in front of me and crouched down low. He looked as if at a second's notice he would spring to life and attack whatever threat lay beyond the trees.

My heart beat viciously in my chest. My breathing quickened as I waited with minimal patience to see what would approach us, expecting the worst. So this would be my end. My hand instinctively reached out and touched Emmett's forearm. He did not look back, but he did reach his hand backward to envelope my small hand in his in a slightly comforting gesture.

"Greetings," Carlisle called out. "We mean no harm. We were simply playing a game of baseball." He paused as if waiting for some form of response before continuing. "As I understand it, this is not an infringement upon the treaty. We are not on your lands. What, may I ask, is the problem?"

Treaty? Lands? Of course. They smelled the werewolves and were instantly on edge and suspicious because they were being approached. I shook off the fear in me and relaxed. I allowed myself an internal snort at the fact that I was the only human I knew that would not only be comfortable in the presence of vampires and werewolves, but also in the presence of both mortal enemies at the same time.

"This has nothing to do with the treaty," Jacob's voice called just as he emerged from the trees.

My eyes widened and a blush crept into my cheeks when I saw him. He wore only a pair of cut off jeans. His top was entirely bare and exposed layer upon layers of perfectly sculpted muscles. I may not have ogled him like this before, but I certainly was now. I was definitely feasting on the visual buffet in front of me. Appreciating without sampling, as Edward had once phrased it.

"And I assume that this is not a purely social call," Carlisle spoke.

"No," Jacob answered coldly. "We caught the scent of new vampires in the area and we wanted to know if they were friends of yours before we attacked."

Alice inconspicuously moved to my side, curled her small body against mine, and closed her eyes tightly.

"What are you doing?" I whispered lowly to her.

"I need to be near you to see your future."

"We are not expecting company," Carlisle continued.

"Then you won't mind us killing them?" Jacob taunted.

"I certainly don't condone an act of violence if that is what you are asking."

Jacob laughed hollowly at this and a soft barking laughter in the distance echoed it. "Sure, sure."

Carlisle sighed. "Whatever you think of us, I assure you that it is unfounded. Now, you may carry the message along that we are not expecting any company and if they are a threat to your lands you can deal with it accordingly."

The rest of the pack barked out, I assume in agreement, and Jacob began to retreat to join them. He paused half way across the field to cast a fleeting glance back in my direction. He must have been far enough away for Alice to finally be able to see around him into my future.

Alice stiffened next to me. "They're here. We have to go!"

Her fingers and nails dug into the soft flesh of my arm at several points as she started to yank me in the opposite direction. It was painful, but bearable. The fear caused a tighter knot in my stomach than the feeling of her nails in my flesh, though they were pressing too hard into my skin and she was in grave danger of ripping the soft tissue and exposing my warm blood like an appetizer to the vampires on the field.

"Alice! Let her go!"

Emmett's worried call didn't help. I tripped as she dragged me away. Her talon like nails ripped open my flesh as she tried to keep me upright. Emmett stiffened at my side as the smell of my blood assaulted his nostrils and his eyes darkened with obvious thirst. It had been too long since he hunted.

Alice dropped me in horror and Jacob took the opportunity to rush to my side. He glared at both of them, obviously not trusting them while I was bleeding. I did not blame him, though I wasn't afraid of them. It was a natural reaction for him.

"You filthy bloodsuckers can't go five minutes without endangering her!"

"Jake!" I began to protest.

"We aren't the danger this time," Alice answered impatiently.

"What do you mean?"

"They're coming for her. She won't live if they get to her."

She stomped her foot and cast me a meaningful glance. Alice's golden eyes met mine with a forlorn look. She was silently trying to convey to me the gravity of the situation. I had to find a way out of this. I had to find a way to change the future. For me. For Alice. For Emmett. I had to find a way to survive this.

"Who is coming for her?" Jacob demanded. "The new bloodsuckers in the area? The rest of the pack is already on their way to stop them!"

"That isn't a wise idea," Carlisle interjected. "These are powerful vampires, almost a ruling class among us, with even more deadly gifts than anyone in my family. Your pack would be wise to stay out of their sight. They would willingly exterminate the wolves."

Jacob looked up at him at that. He seemed to understand the gravity of it but was unwillingly to concede. No matter how suicidal, the wolves never back down from a fight. "So what are we supposed to do? Let them hunt in town and come for Bella?"

"Of course not. We will deal with them and I assure you that I will obtain a guarantee that they do not hunt in town."

"Jake," I whispered, my voice pleading with him.

He turned his sharp gaze on me and his face softened in anguish.

"Bella, I'm so sorry! I'll take you away from here, I'll hide you. They will never find you. You can live your life and be safe with me."

"Jake, I can't," I whispered. "They won't stop looking for me. We will never be at peace."

"There has to be another way," he said, barely containing a sob.

He was right. There had to be some other way out of this mess. Truthfully, the answer was there the entire time; it was only prejudice and timing that hindered it. Seeing as how we were out of time, I hoped that we might be able to push past prejudice as well.

"There is," I told him, my voice stronger now with my resolve. "The treaty states that they… that the Cullens can't bite me…"

"And?" he asked sharply, not understanding what I was hinting at.

"I'm already bleeding, Jake. There would be no wound made. He would just have to let his venom enter my system."

"And become one of _them_?" he spat out with obvious disgust. "How is that better than death, Bella? How is that better than living life?"

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I knew that Jacob would not entirely approve of this plan, but he had also not shot it down immediately. It could work, it would work. It had to work. Just a little more persuasion. My entire future, my life and my happiness hinged upon this.

"Would you rather see me dead than not see me at all?"

His shook his head furiously. "That's not fair!"

"That is the choice, Jacob. There isn't anything else. Either I submit to their law and become one of them, or they will hunt me down for the rest of my human life and when they finally find me they _will_ kill me. Sure, I might escape for a few years, maybe even a decade. And perhaps I could spend every moment of that time with you. But would it really be worth it if we started a life together before they found me and then they destroyed everything?"

A tear streaked down his russet cheek and he pulled me into his warm arms. "I love you, Bella. Can't that ever be enough? Why can't that be enough to keep you safe? I won't let anything happen to you."

"You can't save me from everything, Jake. I'm only human… for now."

He sighed into my hair. "So it's either you as one of _them_, or lose you forever, then?" I nodded in response and waited another long minute for his reply. "I can't lose you, Bella."

I smiled against his chest. Victory surged through my veins and renewed my hope. "Is that your permission, then?"

Jacob pushed me back a bit to study my face. I quickly composed my smile so that I wouldn't offend him. His thumb traced my cheeks lightly, burning its path across my skin with his temperature. He smiled weakly at me and then glanced over my shoulder to where Emmett stood and nodded once.

"I can't lose you, Bella," he repeated. "Now go. I'll deal with the others."


	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

**:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:**

With my arm still bleeding, Emmett picked me up brusquely and carried me bridal style as he sprinted towards the Cullen house. He was in a hurry to seal off my open wound in order to block off the temptation to drain me. He also needed to get me inside where I would be more or less comfortable while I wriggled in the agony of the change. Not only that, but I needed to be out of the sight of the public and away from any temptations myself once I was changed. There was also the pressing matter of getting the venom into my system before the gash began to mend itself and scab over.

It struck me that this would be familiar to him. After all, Rosalie had found him mauled by a bear and dying and carried him, bloodied and battered, back to Carlisle for him to be changed. Now he was carrying me, bloodied though not on the brink of death, to the same man for my change. Odd that fate would bring us together in a similar fashion. Just one more reason why I was so sure that he and I were indeed destined for each other in a way that Edward and I had never been.

Emmett deposited me on the bed in his room once we arrived at the house. The bed was new, not the one that I had been accustomed to seeing in the room that he had shared with Rosalie. Belatedly I realized that he must have replaced the bed after the official split with Rosalie. This was a new bed, a new beginning for the two of us.

The frame was made of a dark, mahogany wood with intricate vines carved into the headboard. The bed itself was slightly firmer than I preferred in my human state, though it would probably feel much softer in just three more days. The mattress was covered in a deep green duvet accented by soft gold undertones etching a country floral pattern. There were more pillows than necessary lined up at the headboard in an assortment of styles and colors. Oversized pillows that matched the duvet, small gold, oblong accents pillows, and squared pastel green pillows with golden fringes all eclectically arranged beautifully. In a word, it was exquisite.

As I moved to the center of the bed I noticed that a garment bag hung on the exterior of the closet. Below it was an inconspicuous black box that resembled a shoe box. I eyed them suspiciously. Emmett caught the direction of my stare and grinned at me.

"Alice," he offered as an explanation.

I rolled my eyes. Of course Alice would want to dress me up for this occasion. I would be willing to bet that if I opened the box that the size of the heel on the shoes would be absolutely frightening. Then again, once I was a vampire I would naturally be more graceful and such things as six-inch heels would not hinder my ability to walk.

It hit me then; the gravity of the situation before me. This was it. This was the moment that I had both been eagerly running towards and shying away from. There was no backing out of it. This was the end of my mortal existence. Just a few more precious moments.

Charlie would be devastated. He would be losing me forever. He would blame himself for not watching me closer, for not being around more often. It wasn't his fault and I wished that there was a way, any way, that I could see him one last time to tell him that. He did not need to live with the regret of being a poor father and allowing his only daughter to become a delinquent that met an untimely death. I needed to see him one last time. I needed to tell him that I loved him, that I was sorry for what was about to happen, and that above all, he was the best father that I could have asked for.

"Emmett." He turned to me immediately. "I need to see Charlie. I need to tell him good-bye."

"Bella, I really don't think-" he began before Alice burst in and cut him off.

"It will be fine. She's going to tell him a short good-bye and come straight back here. Esme and Carlisle can provide a distraction for a couple of hours. Bella needs this closure, Emmett. We'll worry about the bite later."

Emmett left me at Charlie's house right after the conversation with Alice. He was less than thrilled at the idea of me wasting time with the Volturi threat so near. They had already proved unpredictable by arriving without approaching us directly. He was only leaving me on the condition that he would be staying nearby and keeping watch on me the entire time.

I could not help but agree with that arrangement. After all, the last thing I needed was for my plans to be complicated by the Volturi showing up just a few hours before I got everything I could have ever asked for. I was going to spend my eternity with Emmett and I had the pack's approval to do so. In just a short while I would be saying my good-bye to Charlie and then I would move on with my new future.

Though I was more than ready, it was still a little scary to consider. First, and certainly not to be discredited in the least, was the fact that the transformation would be the most excruciatingly pain that I would ever endure. Being accident prone means that I have an abnormally high threshold for pain tolerance, but even I was less than keen to bring this on myself. Second, there was the fact that the Volturi would be near while I was undergoing the transformation and vulnerable. I didn't suspect that they would threaten me once the change was underway but I had no way to be certain of this. I would just have to place all of my faith in my new family. Third, I was about to become immortal, forever. That concept alone was mind-boggling to consider. On the one hand, it wasn't long enough as long as I was with Emmett. On the other hand, how can someone consider forever when the average lifespan is between seventy and eighty years? I would be living centuries, eons even. Completely unfathomable.

Charlie arrived home almost an hour after I did. That gave me plenty of time to calm my nerves as much as possible and prepare a dinner for him. It was the least that I could do all things considered. I made his favorite fish fry with baked potatoes and steamed broccoli for good measure. The fish was sizzling on the stove as he walked in the door. He hung up his belt and jacket and took a deep sniff in the kitchen. A slow grin appeared on his face as he took in the meal that I had prepared. He sauntered over towards the table and flopped down unceremoniously.

"Smells great, Bells. You aren't trying to butter me up for something are you?"

I froze over the stove. At least I was not facing him so that he could not see the expression of sheer panic written across my face. My heart rate accelerated and I'm sure that Emmett would be laughing at me from wherever he was. A calm feeling passed over me then and I realized that Jasper must also be nearby.

"Thanks," I whispered to nothing in particular. If they were close enough they would know what I meant.

"Can't a girl just make dinner for her dad?" Thankfully my voice stayed even and didn't immediately give me away.

"Uh huh," Charlie grunted. "Well, Bell, I'm starved. Let's get this thing going."

"Sure, sure."

I quickly served up two heaping plates of food and carried them over to the table. Charlie eyed his plate with more excitement in his eyes than his expression gave away. I smiled a little to myself that something as simple as food could bring out his usually hidden emotions. I guess the saying that the way to a man's heart is through is stomach actually does hold some credence.

As I ate I began to realize that this was my last meal. I would never consume another human meal. From now on blood - ick! ... for now - would be my dietary staple. The thought made me stop and savor the food all the more. There is something about the finality of it that makes you appreciate each and every flavor of an ordinary dish in ways you never before considered.

When I moved over to the sink to clean the dishes I realized that I would never sleep again. In just a few short hours my transformation would begin and then I would be a vampire that never slept. It almost made me want to take one last nap just to dream sweet dreams about Emmett. Maybe he wouldn't mind giving me an extra hour so that I could… Then again, maybe not. Reality is so much better than any dream I could ever have. Trading sleep and dreams for an eternity with Emmett wasn't really such a bad deal.

Charlie was sitting in his recliner watching whatever sports game was on the television when I finished with the dishes. Normally I would have ignored this and just gone straight to my room to wait for my evening company. Tonight, however, was different. Tonight was the last night that I would have with my father and I wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. With that thought, I walked over and sat down on the couch on the side nearest him.

"Hey, dad?"

He looked over at me startled. "What's up, Bells?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. I just wanted to say… I love you."

His eyes widened and he blushed slightly. I had to fight to hold back the laughter building inside me. How easily he could be embarrassed by a simple show of emotion! He shifted uneasily in his chair and muttered incoherently for a moment.

"Yea, you too, Bella. Always have."

I nodded solemnly at him. His answer was as close to the actual words as I could have hoped for and was more than enough for me. "I just wanted you to know that. I probably don't say it often enough."

"Now, Bells," he scolded. "You do just fine. I'm the one that should probably say it more."

Even then he couldn't quite force the words out. I smiled at him with a sad, but loving smile. I was really going to miss my dad. He had bee so easy to live with. It was nice to have had this last year with him before I gave up all human interaction.

"Thanks for caring," I murmured as I hugged him quickly around his neck.

"Anytime kid." His tone was surprised while he gave me a reassuring but somehow still unsteady pat on the back.

I ran up the stairs two at a time to get away before he saw me cry. Leaving him was the hardest part of all of this. It was necessary though; absolutely necessary. It hurt like crazy that this was the last time I would ever see my father. It hurt even more that I never had a chance to see my mother one last time. At least I had time for one last phone call to my mother.

I subdued my sniffles as best I could and splashed my face with cold water to reenergize myself. I quickly dialed in the familiar number of my mom's cell phone and listened to it ring. Once. Twice. Three times. Finally, just before the fourth ring she answered.

"Bella, baby! I've missed you so much! I can't believe it's been so long since I've talked to you. How are you, honey? How is school? Are you and Emmett still dating? And how is Jacob?"

I cringed at the last question. I couldn't exactly tell her that I was about to become his mortal enemy. And I had to interrupt her bombardment of questions before this really got out of hand. There was a purpose to this call.

"Mom!" I shouted to gain her attention. I took advantage of her brief pause. "I'm fine and I missed you, too. School is good. In fact, that's why I am calling. Finals are coming up so I won't be able to talk to you for awhile because I'll be busy studying."

Well, to be honest, I'm saying good-bye forever. That's just one little detail that would be best left out of this conversation. Renee would surely flip if I told her that I would never speak to her again after this. It was definitely best to keep things simple with her.

We chatted for a good half hour about complete nonsense and all of her latest crazes. I relished every detail, knowing it would be the last time that I listened to her describe all of the crazy antics of her life. A few times a tear would streak down my cheek but I managed to control my voice enough that she never suspected anything was different or unusual about this particular conversation.

Eventually Emmett appeared after having jumped through my window. I covered my mouth to stifle my gasp. My heart beat thunderously in my chest earning a smirk from him. I quickly ended the call with my mom and glared at him.

"Good to know I still get your blood pumping."

"Not for long," I sniped back at him.

He chuckled a little to himself. "No, I suppose you are right. I'll have to enjoy it with what little time I have left.

I rolled my eyes, growing more impatient by the minute. "Well, I've said my good-byes to my parents. Let's do this."

"Not just yet. We still have to spring you from the house. Can't have you vanish in the middle of the night."

I thought about that for a moment. I was technically still grounded and I doubt that even Alice could convince Charlie otherwise right now. So just how did they plan to spring me?

"Alright, Mr. Smarty Pants, what's the plan?"

"Alice is coming to pick you up in a few minutes since you will be staying with us to get an early start for the senior class trip tomorrow. Didn't you see the flyers?" His voice was teasing.

I rolled my eyes. "Great."

Just then Alice appeared in my window and winked at me as she tossed a bag on my bed. "It's all packed and ready to go."

Emmett picked up the bag and twirled it effortlessly around his pinky finger. He whistled softly and diverted his eyes to the ceiling while smiling mischievously. If not for his reaction I would have completely dismissed whatever Alice had packed for me. Now, however, I was slightly curious. I tried to reach for the bag and he jerked it away from me. I narrowed my eyes at him and reached for it again. He deftly moved to the side so that I missed for a second time.

I huffed in frustration. "Can I please have the bag, Emmett?" I even batted my eyelashes a few times for extra emphasis.

He chuckled and handed it to me only to withdraw it again at the last second. "You aren't going to like it," he sang-song as he placed it on my bed.

I watched in irritation as he sat himself down on the rocking chair and crossed his arms over his chest and interlocked his fingers. He had an amused expression that I could only guess would come at my expense if I opened the bag. Again, I was tempted to ignore the offensive object but my curiosity was growing with each passing second.

I gasped in horror as visions of lace and satin in a variety of colors assaulted me. Each piece was too tiny to possibly pass as outer wear which could only leave one explanation.

"Alice!" I hissed.

It was at that moment that the doorbell rang. Emmett zipped up the bag and grinned widely at me as he pressed it into my arms.

"I am so looking forward to seeing more of those." He kissed me on my neck just below my ear, sending a tingle of heat through my body, and disappeared into the night.

For a brief second I collected my jumbled thoughts and then fumed to myself that not only had Alice had the audacity to buy me lingerie, but she was passing this off casually as an overnight bag. Said bag now had to be carried past Charlie on my way out the door. Thankfully, he remained blissfully unaware of what had just transpired. I was also upset at Emmett for leaving me dazzled like that and getting me flustered before I had to go face-to-face with Charlie while holding the bag full of indecent lingerie.

Finally, I forced myself to open the bedroom door and walk out. I turned and watched my room fade to darkness as I flipped the lights off. This was good-bye to Bella Swan, the human. This was the end of this chapter of my life. I had turned off the light of my mortal existence and would now be walking straight into the dark abyss of immortality. Only, immortality hardly seemed so dark with Emmett by my side.

Charlie seemed flustered as he spoke with Alice. Her eyes were wide and full of undeserved innocence as she explained to him that this was the annual senior trip and that I shouldn't be forced to miss it.

"You agreed last week that she could go, Charlie. You even signed the permission slip."

One day I hoped that I would learn to lie as smoothly as all of the Cullens. Her expression never faltered or gave away any hint that she was anything but sincere.

Charlie considered for a moment then turned to face me. "Bella?"

Alice raised her eyebrow at me. Right. I was expected to confirm her story. "Um, yea, dad. You did. We're going to-"

"The University of Washington. Touring the campus and all since so many people plan to attend there."

This was hardly the sort of plan that Charlie would disapprove of under normal circumstances. It made me wonder if it was going to work at all.

To my immense surprise, it did. He let out a deep sigh and agreed under the condition that I call the moment we got there and let him know when we were on our way back to Forks. I instantly agreed, knowing it was an empty promise.

I said my final good-bye to Charlie and Alice and I dashed out to the car as quickly as humanly possible. We drove away watching Charlie wave good-bye in the rear view mirror. He had a smile on his face as we left. That was exactly how I would remember him for all eternity; loving, trusting, happy.

:-:-:

The Cullen house was exceptionally quiet when we arrived though all of the lights were on. Alice pursed her lips together as she stared at the house. She turned to me and placed a finger up to her lips to silence any questions that I had. We sat in an eerie silence.

My heartbeat was thunderous in my chest and my palms broke out into a cold sweat. There was something off, something that made Alice wary to go inside the house. With the Volturi in the general area I could only imagine why we stayed outside. My breath kept out jaggedly as that thought crossed my mind.

"A very peculiar gift you have." The voice was familiar and sinister.

I felt myself being pulled through the car and out of the door. Alice yanked me across the console and placed me behind her before I could register the movement. My arm hurt from the force she used. I cried out in pain and felt something hard and cold knock into me. Alice huddled on the porch near me. On the other side of the yard Emmett sat on top of a mysterious cloaked form, looking quite deadly.

A low, musical chuckle sounded from the doorway. I would have recognized that laugh anywhere; Aro. I looked around as more cloaked figures surrounded us; Aro, Marcus, Cauis, Jane, Demetri and one other woman that I did not recognize. Cauis glared at Emmett murderously as he released Felix from his hold. Jane glanced around eagerly, appearing as though she were choosing her target. Her gaze landed on me and I watched as her eyes narrowed while she bared her teeth and hissed. I couldn't help the smug smirk that came across my lips as she realized that I was still immune to her malicious gift.

"Jane, my dear, let's please be on our best behavior. You know I don't like playing with our food."

Aro's chastisement wasn't reassuring. I gulped. If he was referring to me as food then it appeared that no matter what my intentions were in coming here tonight, I would never be permitted to be changed. They were going to kill me. My hope that Aro could be as forgiving now as he had been just a few months ago was quickly vanishing. The circumstances had changed drastically but my intentions had not and I hoped that I could make him understand that.

"Bella is _not_ food," Emmett growled.

Marcus glided towards Aro who in turn extended his palm towards his silent brother. He placed the tip of his finger in Aro's extended hand briefly and a smile lit up Aro's face as he turned his attention back to me.

"It seems that something has changed as of late, dear Bella. Tell me, why is it that my brother senses such strong love between you and the brother of your previous love?"

My eyes inadvertently glanced over at Emmett and I couldn't help the smile that formed across my lips despite the circumstances. He caught my gaze and smiled encouragingly at me.

I had to choose my words carefully. While the truth of the matter was that Edward refused to change me, an answer like that would hardly be an acceptable. He had broken their cardinal rule and I did not want him to face any punishments. I still loved him and knew that he still loved me desperately. I would not let him die because his love for me prevented him from changing me. It was misguided, but hardly worthy of a death sentence.

"Edward and I had some serious differences that we could not work out."

Aro pursed his lips together. He had obviously caught on to my evasiveness but there was no way for him to pluck the necessary information from me. He turned his attention to Emmett. "And what of your mate?"

"She didn't approve of Bella, human or vampire. I had, at that time, come to think of Bella as a little sister and couldn't abandon her like my mate wanted, so we went our separate ways as well."

"Interesting. So very interesting…" he mused. "Two mates out of the picture, then. As easy as that?"

"As easy as that." Emmett tone held an air of authority.

At that moment the rest of the family came rushing into the house. Carlisle and Edward shared a similar panicked expression as they took in the fact that Alice and I were surrounded by the Volturi guards. Jasper immediately crouched down low and growled furiously, ready to attack at any moment to protect Alice. Esme covered her mouth in horror and moved to Emmett's side in an attempt to soothe him. At a more leisurely pace Alec moved past them and took his place at Jane's side.

"Carlisle! What a pleasure it is to see you again old friend!"

"The circumstances hardly warrant a pleasurable visit." Carlisle's reply was cold and devoid of any friendship.

Aro sighed. "Indeed. I do wish that the business we have here had been of a less serious nature. However, you are as aware of the rules as I. I am sure that I do not need to remind you, yet again, of the violation that this girl poses."

"She has agreed to be changed. That was the purpose of the evening before the interruption. A human as engaged with our unique family as she can hardly disappear unnoticed. It took time to elaborate a cover story for her disappearance. Tonight she is to begin her transformation."

"Lies!" Cauis yelled. "They wish to leave her human and defy all our sacred laws! These strange creatures do not even consume human blood, brother. They can not be trusted!"

"Easy, brother," Aro replied. "The Cullen clan surely means no harm. They have more to fear of exposure than us, I am sure." He turned his attention back to Carlisle. "Indeed, her transformation is to begin tonight?"

"That was the intention."

Aro extended his palm towards Carlisle. "You understand; I do need to be positive of this."

"Of course."

Carlisle placed his own hand in Aro's. Their exchange was brief. For that I was thankful because as soon as it was done Aro motioned for the members of his guard to move back, allowing me to escape from Alice's tight grip and run to Emmett. He caught me and pressed me to him as tightly as my human body could tolerate. Jasper caught Alice in his arms in a flash and then positioned her behind him defensively. Edward watched me with pained eyes as I clung to Emmett. Of course, Aro noticed this as well.

"My dear boy, you are still welcome to join us. Why not leave here if staying means that you will come face to face with your old love repeatedly? Surely it is not worth the heartache." There was a false sweetness in Aro's words.

"Whether she belongs to me or not, Bella is my life," Edward answered. "I will not abandon my family because of my own poor decisions concerning her."

Esme smiled warmly at him and moved to his side at the same time that Carlisle joined her. She would not have wanted him to leave again and Carlisle would not have approved of him giving up their lifestyle. It made sense for Edward to stay. It also made sense that everything would be easier if we didn't have to face each other every day, if he didn't have to listen to everything that Emmett and I would do in the privacy of our room. Alice looked over and winked at me as she caught on to my train of thought.

"Well, we shall remain only long enough to ensure that the transformation has indeed begun and then we will take our leave," Aro said.

That was my cue. I looked up at Emmett and smiled faintly at him. As ready as I was, I still could not help the nervousness that overcame me. Jasper sent a wave of calm towards me. It helped but was not nearly strong enough so he manufactured a sense of bravery in me as well. I looked over at him and Alice and smiled appreciatively as Emmett led me up the stairs.

"See you on the other side," I said as I passed them.

"Bella, wait," Edward called.

I turned to see him running in our direction. He grabbed my arm and held me in place as Emmett tried to pull me in the opposite direction. Emmett growled in response but Edward refused to meet his gaze.

"You don't have to do this. I'm sure we can make other arrangements. Don't let this force your decision."

"You already know my answer," I whispered back.

I was uncertain why he was doing this in front of the Volturi. This could not possibly be helping my situation any even though Aro had a politely amused expression. I seriously doubted that he would allow me to remain human even if I did want that fate. But I didn't, so it was pointless to even consider it.

"How can you be so certain? Do you understand everything that you're giving up?

"I want eternity," I told him defiantly. My patience was wearing thin. "I want to spend forever with someone that loves me. I won't settle for anything less than always. Emmett wants me, too. Why shouldn't I sacrifice a few days of pain and an unnatural diet to achieve that?"

He winced at that but did not object to it. "And my staying?"

"I would never ask you to leave. This is your home as much as Emmett's and the rest of the family."

He sighed and pulled me into his chest. "This will be your home now, too."

I simply nodded. True, this would be home, but it would not be my house. While I could never ask Edward to leave, I also needed time apart from the family while I adjusted. That was something that I would mention to him later… if he had not already figured it out from Alice.

"It's time, Edward," I whispered against his perfect chest. "Time to let go. Time for the change."

The finality of it all came crashing down on me and I allowed myself to shed a tear. Edward pulled back and brushed it away with his cool thumb. He gazed into my eyes for a long second before nodding at me releasing me to Emmett. He pulled me into one of his bone-crushing hugs and for once I did not object. This was the last time that my frail form would be a hindrance and I welcomed the pain.

Emmett and I walked to his room and I climbed up to the middle of the bed. I sat down and toyed with the corner of one of the pillows. I watched curiously as Emmett walked around the room lighting various candles. All of the candles were arranged in threes and he only lit the front candle in each set.

"Em?"

"These burn for exactly 24 hours. I've got 3 candles in a set, one for each day of the transformation. That way something besides you is burning and I can focus on that and the end result instead of thinking about the pain that you're going to be in."

"Oh," I remarked. "And here I thought you were trying to set some sort of romantic mood or something."

Fear began to creep back into me at the mention of pain. I was all too aware that I was only moments away from an all consuming, internal inferno.

Emmett laughed softly, drawing me away from my unpleasant thoughts. "We'll have plenty of time for that later. But, for now, they're just to count the time."

He looked at me with so much love and adoration in his eyes. Every inch of me was overcome by how much I loved him. These three days would be nothing to make sure that I always had him. Sure, I would be wild and bloodthirsty at first. And sure I was afraid that I wouldn't care about Emmett over the bloodlust at first. But I would just have to try to remember this feeling after the change. I would have to remember how desperately I needed Emmett.. He would help me remember who I was, who I am.

The garment bag and box were still next to the closet. I looked over at Emmett with a wicked smile and held up one finger while I moved away from him and towards Alice's purchase. I could feel his eyes on me as I moved. The bag did indeed hold the dress that Alice had forced me to try on months ago when we were shopping. I smiled to myself as I realized that this was the perfect opportunity to wear it, and she must have realized that when she bought it. I considered asking Emmett to leave while I changed but decided against it. After all, we would be seeing each other with considerably less clothing soon enough if all went well.

Slowly I pulled my shirt up over my head and tossed it tightly to the floor. Emmett groaned and flopped back onto the bed. I looked over at him and noticed that he was trying to be sneaky about peaking at me while pretending to give me privacy. I smiled and shook my head and then began to unbutton my jeans with exaggerated slowness. Emmett's breathing increased exponentially. I slid the jeans down over my hips and stepped out of them; standing in front of him in just my white cotton bra and panties and feeling more exposed than ever before in my life.

I took the dress from the hanger and slipped it on. The teal color contrasted beautifully with my pale skin and mahogany hair. The halter neckline plunged low and threatened to expose my bra. The dress clung to my waist and fanned out slightly at the hips, coming to a rest just below my knees. The shoes were a sparkling silver. They had an ankle strap and mesh covering over the toe that was encrusted with tiny rhinestones in swirling patterns. Despite the size of the heel, they fit my feet perfectly.

Once I was completely dressed I turned back to Emmett and smiled shyly. His eyes raked over my body and he smiled brightly at me. His dimples perfectly accentuated the spark in his darkened eyes. He scooped me up in his arms and kissed me fervently as he laid me down on the bed. His fingers brushed a few strands of hair away from my neck as he pulled away. It was time.


	15. Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

**:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:**

Jasper entered the room as I lay on the bed. I looked up at him curiously to which he smiled in response. He placed his hand on my shoulder and I felt myself relax exponentially. I had barely enough strength left in me to open my eyes as I heard Carlisle's low voice. Carlisle injected me with what he told me was a high dose of morphine. He hoped that it would ease the pain of transformation. Since he had more experience than I did, I simply accepted that even with my skepticism. My eyelids became heavy and began to droop shortly after.

"Son? Would you like to? Or would you rather I do it?" Carlisle's voice was just a murmur in the background.

Emmett looked over at me with panicked eyes. He knew what I would want but I'm sure that he also feared losing control and in so doing, losing me forever. I made the decision for him.

"I trust you, Emmett."

The weight of the drug was heavy within me. I could feel my grip with reality loosening with each passing second. Carlisle must have given me a very high dose of morphine. That only begged the question, just how painful would this be if I had been given copious amounts of morphine to combat the fire that would rage through me?

"What if I lose control, Bella?"

"You can do it," I slurred.

I blinked lazily and smiled one last time at him before drifting into a state of semi-consciousness. The argument between Emmett and Carlisle was vague and was probably brief though it seemed to drag on for hours. Finally a lick of heat began in my wrist, rousing me from my dreamlike state.

The fire spread quickly and consumed my hand. With great desperation I attempted to pull my hand away, afraid it had inadvertently dropped into the flame of a candle. Even in my unconsciousness I was a klutz! My hand would not budge. The synapses connecting my brain with my motor skills were in a morphine induced haze and not functioning. That was when reality hit me like a ton of bricks, literally. Fire erupted in my neck and spread quickly through every inch of my being. My hand had not fallen into the flame of the candle, I was on fire; the transformation had begun. My body now burned perilously with the venom that surged through me.

I wanted to thrash around and make it stop. There had to be some way to get their attention. Even as prepared as I was, nothing about this pain was conceivable. It was unnatural and all I wanted was to make it stop.

Just as quickly as the fire ripped through me it began to retreat. I could hear shouting in the background but the pain was still too much for me to focus. I was only vaguely aware of the fact that the burning was lessening more and more. With the decrease in venom came a decrease in my strength as well. Not that I could move at all before. No, the morphine assured that I was trapped in a still form. Relief began to wash through me as the pain lessened. I was able to think around it, proud of myself for enduring… But it hadn't been long enough, even I knew that. Emmett hadn't bitten me; he was draining me.

I released myself to my fate. I cannot say that I welcomed death with open arms, but it was a reprieve from the fire that still licked viciously in my veins. This was the choice that I had made, completely aware that there was a chance that I would not survive. I had placed the wrong bet.

Though, one should never bet against Alice. She had said that I would be transformed and indeed it did appear that I would be. The fire surged through me with renew vigor and eagerly consumed every internal orifice of my body. My heart ached and began to pulse rapidly with the force of the venom in my system. Without the weight of the morphine holding me down I had to resort to my own weakened muscles to hold myself rigid and not give in to the thrashings that threatened to overtake my body.

Heat crawled through my arms until every inch from my shoulder to my fingertips burned intensely. The process repeated down my legs and to my toes. The flames in my abdomen began at opposite ends and converged on each other. From my shoulders down and my pelvis up the heat worked its way through me and charred my internal organs. My head pulsed in time with my heartbeat and burned as did the rest of my body. My heart beat frantically in protest of the pain.

I wanted to cry out. I wanted to writhe in agony. I wanted to make it all go away and die a painless death. Anything but experience this all consuming, excruciating pain that the venom produced. Nothing good could possibly come of this. My body would be mangled and deranged; a grotesque byproduct of this vicious internal inferno. I could only imagine how charred my face would appear. Even the buds of my eyelashes burned with the venom.

I felt a cool hand on my arm and my fingers twitched. For a brief moment my resolve to remain motionless faltered as I yearned to reach out and grab hold at that hand. If I could reach them they could pull me out of this. Someone had to be here to help me through this. I could not suffer in silence. I wasn't strong enough. Emmett hadn't been strong enough, why should I?

"I'm so sorry, Bella," the voice said. I knew that voice, although it seemed slightly off. Something about it was higher pitched, more melodic, easier to listen to. "He didn't mean to," Alice continued. Why was her voice so different? "Jasper and Edward stopped him as soon as they could and he hasn't left your side ever since until now. But we will explain that to you in a few more days."

A few more days. She might as well have given me a death sentence. Although I suppose that this was nearly the equivalent. Just how long had I burned? Apparently not nearly long enough. How much more could I endure? How much longer could I remain silent and still? Silent and still. This would be my new mantra… at least, for the next few days.

More voices were in the room. I easily recognized them all. Though, like Alice's voice, there were subtle differences that my weak human ears never detected. Could this possibly be an affect of the transformation so soon? It gave me a brief amount of consolation that perhaps the change was far enough under way that this was true. I refused to consider the possibility that I was delusional from the pain of the transformation, or the remnants of the morphine, or both.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway sometime later. They distracted me from my internal chanting. Each time the pain became too much I started chanting to myself again. Silent and still. Silent and still. Silent and still. It gave me the strength I needed to endure this without making the others watch me helplessly in my torment. They already knew that I was experiencing something greatly painful; they did not need the audible confirmation of it.

"Bella?" I paused in my chanting to listen more carefully. "I just lit the second candle. Just forty-eight more hours until this is over. Then you never have to feel anything like this ever again. I'll make sure of that. You'll only feel pleasure after this is over. Be strong, cupcake. I have faith in you."

Alice was right. He hadn't left me. He was here, he had been here. I suppose I already knew that since I was able to stay silent and still through it thus far. His presence had given me the strength that I needed to persevere through the agony of the transformation.

Only forty-eight hours remaining. Now I had a point of reference to work from. My heart still beat rapidly so I began to count each beat. The focus on something other than the fire helped.

Throughout the ordeal I could hear people bickering downstairs or walking down the hallway. I was vaguely aware when they opened the door of my torture chamber. No one helped. I doubted that anyone could.

Emmett's voice broke into my concentration. "The second candle is almost done burning. That means that you are nearly done too. Just one more day, give or take afew hours, and this will all be over. You'll never experience it again. I love you, Bella. I love you more than you can imagine."

His words lulled me back into my trance as I once again began chanting to myself in order to distract myself from the raging fire that consumed every crevice of my heart.

The pain receded slightly after 232,782 beats. It subsided from my fingers one by one and eased its way from my arms leaving only a numb tingling sensation behind; even just this faint relief made me want to smile. My toes were next, followed by the remainder of my legs. The throbbing in my head slowed to a rhythmic pulse that was much more tolerable. The fire worked its way out of every part of my body except my heart, which burned with greater intensity than ever before. How was that even possible?

I would have thought that the burn concentrated in one part of my body would have been preferable than burning everywhere at once, but it wasn't. The fire in my heart was excruciating and unbearable. My back arched under the pain, my resolve to remain unmoving breaking only momentarily. Silent and still. Silent and still. I straightened my back at the same time that a hand reached out and touched my arm.

The hand was not cold. In fact, it wasn't even hard against my own skin. How could that be right? There was no way that they would have let any human near me. As far as I was aware, I was the only human that they had regular social interactions with. And it couldn't be Jacob. He always felt warmer than the average person. Who was touching me then? Ah! Another side effect of the change, my skin must have adjusted and was now the same temperature as theirs. Emmett was here, of course. I focused on that sensation and began my mental chanting again to pass the time and focus my mind elsewhere.

Silent and still. Thump. Silent and still. Thump thump. My heart rate grew sporadic. It was far too quick and uneven. Something was not right. My heart had to last another day. It couldn't give out on my now, not when I was so close. Less than twenty four hours until I had everything that I had ever hoped for. What kind of sick joke was fate if she was going to let my heart stop beating approximately 129,600 beats before it would stop forever anyway?

Did I really just calculate that in my mind? There really is something to be said about the improved brain function thanks to the venom. All of my senses were so sharpened that normally daunting tasks such as mental calculations now came to me easily. I could also detect the variations in breathing patterns and footsteps of everyone that came and went past the room. Emmett was my constant. Always on my right and with even breathing. His breath would have been a much more reasonable thing to count since there were fewer to keep track of. Then again, it would give me enough pause to focus on the pain that enveloped my heart. No, it was better to focus on the beating of my heart.

The second stutter in just under two minutes. This could not be good. Why was no one calling for Carlisle? Maybe I should call for him. He would know how to keep it beating until the transformation was finished. It had to keep beating. I would call for him. But could I trust myself not to scream uncontrollably once I opened my mouth? No, I could not. The scream would bring him running though. He was the only one that would know what to do. My heart could not stop beating before it was finished. Why had no one else called for him?

I was alerted to the sound of Carlisle's approaching footsteps. A surge of relief flowed through me along with another surge of spreading fire. That was, until I realized that I was right. Something had to be wrong for Carlisle to be coming in at the same time that I realized it was wrong. Fear coursed through me as the flames intensified in heat,

Maybe the burn was tied to my emotions, maybe if I calmed myself the pain would subside again. Silent and still, I chanted. I focused on relaxing each tendon of my body as much as possible without giving in to the need to thrash about. The fire only crept through me quicker and hotter. It was definitely not tied to any controllable stressor.

"Listen to her, such a strong heart beat," Carlisle murmured.

No! I wanted to shout at him. It wasn't a strong heart beat, it was stuttering and skipping. It was quitting on me before it was time. I wanted to scream at him and tell him to make my rebellious heart function for just awhile longer. I wanted him to tell me that everything would be alright.

He did neither. I could feel fingertips on my wrist and again on my neck. Then I listened in agony as his footsteps retreated and waited in vain for him to return. Silent and still, I reminded myself. Silent and still. The flames retreated back to my heart and remained there through my chants.

"Half a day to go." Emmett's voice was unnaturally cheerful. I wanted to punch him in the face for sounding happy. Strike that, I wanted to beat him to an absolute pulp for even considering happy thoughts while I lay here enduring a pain worse than anything that imagination could conjure.

"Soon you and I can go anywhere, do anything. Well, maybe not attack the helpless citizens, but you get my drift. We can be free to be together for all eternity, Bella. Just you and me. What do you say, cupcake? Are you up for some adventure?"

Humph! I lay here dying a slow, painful death and all he can think of is adventure?

"You know, you'll probably be stronger than me for awhile once this is done," he mused. "At least I won't have to take it easy with you or worry about crushing you any more."

He should have been more concerned about his own well-being because at that very moment I was formulating a plan that would crush his ego and possibly a few of his bones. It was minor retribution for him thinking about adventure while I was in agony, but it would do.

Alice and Edward both laughed downstairs. "Very nice, Bella," she cheered. She must have seen the idea that I formed and approved. It almost made me smirk in triumph, until I realized that if I allowed my lips to move that I would lose any semblance of control that I still had over this situation.

I firmly held my lips in place and chanted again. Silent and still. Silent and still. Just a little while longer and this will be over. Silent and still. Devote all my focus to not giving in to the overwhelming desire to scream in agony. Silent and still. Nothing good can come of screaming and writhing. Silent and still. Emmett would not watch a visual confirmation that I was in pain. Silent and still. It will not change anything. Silent and still. The pain won't be lessened no matter how loudly I scream. Silent and still. No one can do anything to make it subside until it is done. Silent and still. This is what you wanted. Silent and still. This is necessary. Silent and still. This will be worth it in the end.

Emmett's voice interrupted me again. "Stay strong, Bella. This is almost over. You're doing great sweetheart. I know this is hard. I just hope that the morphine that Carlisle gave you helped even a little bit. You're so quiet. If it wasn't for your heartbeat I wouldn't know if you were still alive."

Funny, I was just thinking the exact same thing. I was still more tempted to believe that I was burning in hell instead of going through the transition to become an immortal vampire. Hell was just a more plausible alternative. Surely this is what hell must feel like. Although, if Emmett were here, it could not be hell and heaven could not be this cruel. The only alternative was that I was still alive… and still burning.

Silent and still. I restarted counting my heart beats again. 128,105 beats later and the fire once again began to withdraw from my body. From my fingertips to my shoulder the pain subsided leaving a cold tingle behind. My arms felt incredibly bare without the constant pain that I had grown used to. From my toes to my hips my legs were no longer consumed by the internal flames of the venom. The only remnant of the all consuming fire in my head was the soft tingle and gentle throb. The pain in my torso faded as well as the pain withdrew and concentrated its effort into my heart.

Each beat stung with heat. Thump thump. Ow! Thump thump. Ow! The fire consumed my heart and scorched it to its core. The pain intensified and my heart threatened to collapse in on itself. Silent and still. Screaming would not lessen the pain nor make it end any sooner.

Emmett started talking again, reassuring me that it was nearly over. I just had to survive for a couple more hours and the torture would end. Alice assured me that I would be absolutely stunning. I wanted to argue with her that I was a charred and disfigured mess, but I stayed silent and still. Carlisle came once to tell me that my heart was still beating strongly; apparently all his years of medical training meant nothing if he could not detect the stutters in its rhythm. Edward came once to ask if I was in pain. What a stupid question that was!

For my part, I remained silent. Nothing could induce me to move or speak. I could not afford one slip in my self control at this point. I had made it this far and I was determined to get through this process silently. I just had to make it a little longer.

"Five more minutes, Bella!"

Alice's words were music to my ears.

Five minutes. I could last for five minutes. After burning from the inside out and experiencing stabbing pain for nearly three straight days I could definitely hold on for another five minutes. The end was near and there was finally light at the end of this long tunnel. For once, I allowed myself a tiny smile of victory. I could hear the gasps of surprise around me but I ignored them and focused my energy on that one small movement, not allowing myself anything else. For five more minutes I could remain silent and still.

"Bella? Do you hear me?" Carlisle asked. I did not respond and he hesitated only a brief second before continuing. "The change is almost finished. But, I should warn you, in just a couple minutes the pain is going to get worse. Much worse. It will threaten to break you and then everything is over, alright? Just hang in there a little while longer and this will all be done. I promise."

This would get worse? How was that even possible? The pain that I was feeling now, the pain that I had endured, the fire, all of it; how could anything be worse than that? It frightened me to my very core to consider the possibility that this was about to get worse, much worse as Carlisle had ominously forewarned. Still, it would be brief and then it would all be over. I could handle this. I didn't have an option.

The pain rippled through me in a sudden burst from my heart. It stung everywhere all at once and burned with an increased intensity. My back arched highly in protest and a strangled scream escaped my lips before I regained control and shut myself back down. Silent and still. This would be brief and I could endure it the same way I had before. It would end and be over with. My heart swelled under the pressure of the heat and did in fact threaten to burst. I just needed to survive a tiny bit longer. The blistering heat seared through me. My body felt as though it had been emerged in acid and hit by a Mack truck at the same time. Everything hurt in the most unimaginable way possible.

Just as quickly as it had come, the pain subsided. My heart rate slowed steadily. Thump. Thump thump. Thump… thump thump. The pause lasted long enough to frighten me before it gave one final thump and with that, all the pain left my body. A cool tingle took its place for a fraction of a second while I adjusted to the loss of the fire. Then it was over, the pain was gone. I had survived just like I planned to. I had survived for…?

My eyes opened slowly to the unfamiliar surroundings. The faint light of twilight filled the room in a glorious array of amber and fuchsia. It looked warm, it felt warm. I smiled at the happy colors. A shadow passed across and blocked them from my view. I snarled in response and darted up in defense.

A crowd of people stared at me anxiously. They all had amber eyes that matched the beautiful colors of the evening sky. I knew these people. They were familiar to me in a distant way. Amber eyes, not red. They were vampires, but vegetarians. They were my surrogate family. I could faintly remember Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Edward, and Emmett.

Emmett! He was still here! He had waited for me. He was the reason for this, for the change, for all that I had endured. He smiled brightly at me revealing his perfect dimples. Those were the dimples that I had fallen in love with when I was still human. Now I saw him even clearer, without the filter of my poor human senses. He was even more beautiful than I remembered him. His large stature loomed over the family but his face was friendly. His eyes were darker than the rest of the family with a slightly redder tinge. How long had it been since he hunted? The deep purple circles under his eyes were far too prominent. He must not have left my side during the transformation and he had already been thirsty before it happened.

I reached my hand out for him slowly and he closed the distance between us in no time. I saw him approach and was even able to react in time to throw my arms around his neck as he caught me around the waist. I was impressed that my reflexes now matched his.

"Emmett," I whispered then stopped in shock before I could continue. This was not my voice. It was too soprano, too unnatural. Had I always sounded like this or had my voice changed.

From the corner of the room Edward sighed. In frustration? My eyes cut towards him as I took in his expression. His face formed a scowl but lit up and he smiled at me upon eye contact. My lips moved to form the words but he spoke before I could.

"Your mind is still blank to me, Bella."

I smirked, glad that I had retained that portion of myself. "Is this what I always sounded like?" I asked, letting him in on my thoughts.

"Not at all." Emmett answered me and squeezed my hip at the same time.

"Bella?" Carlisle called to me. My eyes snapped expectantly in his direction. "You must be incredibly thirsty. Perhaps it is time for you to learn to hunt?"

"Finally!" Emmett's thunderous voice boomed. "I can show you how your Emmy bear gets the best catch!"

"My Emmy bear?" My brow quirked up. "I thought that you were my Emmy-Bemmy bumpkin bear."

Everyone in the room laughed, except Emmett. He pouted at me. "Don't I get a manly nickname? I can deal with Emmy bear, but bumpkin bear? Really? How about I just call you Hells Bells."

I contemplated that briefly, considered the hell I had just endured. "Appropriate enough," I agreed. "But I still like cupcake better."

Emmett grinned goofily at me and kissed me fiercely, holding nothing back now that I was no longer breakable. His tongue danced around mine and sent me into overdrive. My entire concentration was centered on Emmett and the reaction that he was igniting in me. He was right; he was more than making up for the fires of the venom with the pleasure that was surging through me now.

"Bella." Jasper's voice was amused. I broke off the kiss and turned back to face him sheepishly. He smirked knowingly. I winked at him and Alice giggled by his side.

"Time to hunt."

Emmett grabbed my hand and dragged me to the window before he leapt out and looked back at me expectantly. I followed his example and together we ran off into the forest for my first experience feeding as a vampire.


	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

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Emmett was splashing in the river by the time I reached him. He looked up at me mischievously and sent a wave in my direction. I jumped back, expecting the water to be frigid. To my great surprise, while I was aware that it was cold, the temperature did not bother me. I smiled to myself and ran forward to land in the water next to Emmett in a giant cannonball. I emerged from the water and smiled brightly at Emmett.

There was a deep hunger present in his eyes. He closed the tiny gap between us and attacked my lips with his own. I surrendered to him as my fingers threaded through the tiny curls of his hair and relished the sensation of his lips on my lips and neck.

Things probably would have gone a lot farther until I realized that we were submerged under water. I panicked. I darted out of his arms and up to the surface gasping for air. It wasn't until the moment that a fresh breath touched my lungs that I figured out that my lungs were not craving air, my mind craved it. I took a few deep breaths processing that information and Emmett stood in front of me smiling patiently.

"Overwhelming, isn't it?" I nodded and he continued. "I'm not going to apologize, for right now anyway. I just saw you there in the water. Your dress clung to your body and you were dripping wet and well, you looked good."

I waited for my heart to thud furiously and for my cheeks to fill with a deep blush at the implicit suggestion, but it never happened. I smirked to myself that my embarrassment would never again be so blatantly obvious to anyone but myself. Just one of the many perks of immortality.

I moved closer to him and placed my hands on his chest then slowly slid them up and circled my arms around his neck. He came closer as I pressed myself flush against him and attacked his lips with my own. Quickly I pulled back and left him standing there with a bewildered expression.

"Maybe you should teach me to hunt," I suggested with a smirk.

Emmett groaned loudly behind me as I sprinted away. "Definitely calling you Hells Bells from now on."

I laughed a soft tinkling laughter as I listened to the sounds of the forest around me, appreciating them in a new way, while I ran. It was almost as if I were seeing things for the first time. Everything was so clear. I could see farther and clearer than I ever had before. I could smell the distinct scent of moss on the trees and water in the stream. The earthy, musky scent of it brought a smile to my face as I stopped to inhale deeply, taking in everything that I could.

Emmett's arms wrapped around my waist. "Beautiful isn't it?"

"It's unreal," I answered. "I saw it all before, but now, it's like I never really saw anything before. How is that possible?"

"You weren't really using your senses before. Humans, in all their great technological advances, are still a relatively stupid species. They have forgotten how to use their senses because they depend too much on invention and not enough on nature and instinct. You are now one of the world's most dangerous predators; your senses are heightened to allow you to better stalk your prey."

"Hmm…" I hummed. "And what prey might I be stalking?"

Emmett grinned and took off running. I easily caught up to him and ran a few steps behind him that way I could follow whatever direction he took. He finally stopped near a cave and winked at me. Apparently I was about to see my Emmy-bear in action.

Watching Emmett wrestle with a grizzly was quite entertaining. Each time the bear got angry and slapped at his head there was a loud cracking sound and Emmett would laugh while the bear whimpered. Emmett even resorted to tugging on its stump of a tail to induce it to fight some more before finally plunging his teeth into its neck and draining the poor beast. Someone had quite obviously forgotten to teach him that it is not polite to play with one's food.

After he had finished he looked up at me and indicated that it was my turn. My turn was not nearly as successful. The only nearby animal was a tiny rabbit. Surprisingly, even though I'm fast, those critters are quite elusive. As I dashed around grabbing at the forest floor Emmett laughed at me and hooted and hollered. I was sure that he wasn't helping to attract any prey with that behavior but I would deal with him later. For now, there was a rabbit to catch…

When I finally caught the creature I was left less than satisfied. For one, it tasted horrible. There also was not nearly enough blood to quench my thirst. Emmett was not helping the situation any as he continued to chuckle while watching me. Mr. Chuckle Pants was just tallying up his errors and making the revenge that I would exact upon him that much worse.

A soft rustle in the trees caught my attention and heightened my alert senses. Edward appeared through the trees with his hands held up and palms out cautiously. He glanced between Emmett and I and shook his head.

"You're doing a horrible job teaching her," he scolded.

I snarled at him. While hunting may not come naturally to me, and while Emmett was definitely not helping, he had no right to criticize my mate.

"Easy, Bella. I only came to offer my help. Perhaps, if it is alright with the two of you, _I_ could teach you to hunt?"

Emmett was at my side then. "My little cupcake is doing just fine by herself. She just caught a rabbit."

What a defense that was! Emmett's master plan for explaining why I didn't need any help learning to hunt was that I had managed to catch a rabbit by myself? Definitely not scoring any points.

"You know? I think I will take you up on that offer." If for no other reason than to teach Emmett that he needs to help me through this unfamiliar life. "Emmett here was just going to go clean up since he already finished his meal."

"You took the first kill?" Edward exclaimed.

"I had to show her how it's done!"

"The kill instinct is natural, Emmett. It's the technique that she needs to learn" Edward let out an exasperated sigh. "Like I told you both, I would be more than happy to teach her how to hunt and which species are in abundance. You are more than welcome to go back to wrestle with the grizzlies in the meantime."

Emmett slung his massive arm around my shoulders. "My little cupcake doesn't need you to teach her technique. She'll pick it up in her own time. Learning is half the fun."

I could feel the growl building up in deep within my throat but managed to hold it back. Emmett was just screwing up left and right today and there was only one way to get through his thick skull. That would be exactly what I had to do… now.

"Edward, I would _love_ for you to teach me how to hunt. Emmett can either go play with his food or get cleaned up for later when I have other needs." I winked in his direction for emphasis.

Emmett grinned widely and pounded his fist in the air with a loud whoop sound. He took off running in what I presume was the direction of the Cullen house, leaving Edward and I alone. Edward shook his head with a small smile on his lips.

"You do realize what you just promised him, right?"

"Of course. You do realize what you promised me, right?" I had to be sure that he was here to teach me to hunt, not to try to win me back since my humanity no longer stood in the way.

"Of course, lo-… of course, Bella," he replied.

Hunting with Edward was much more successful. He was remarkably patient although a bit wary to unleash me on the larger prey. Regardless of my invincible physique he still worried that something as trivial as a mountain lion might actually harm me more than my dress. Under his watchful eye I learned how to sniff out my prey and listen for their sounds. I learned which animals were an easy kill when I simply needed to quench my thirst in a hurry and which animals made for a tastier meal when I had the time to really hunt. He taught me how to pick up the scent of a trail, although I was not able to decipher which were fresh or old trails yet.

It took longer than I thought to even come close to satiating my thirst. I had prepared myself for the bloodlust, but this was insane. It seemed like there wasn't enough prey in the area to quench the fire in my throat. Now I understood why they often ventured out beyond their territory to hunt. At least I was able to track and take down my prey on my own with minimal damage to my clothes.

Edward seemed reluctant to return home, claiming that I still had much more to learn. I had my suspicions that he just wanted to monopolize on his time alone with me while he still had a valid excuse. I didn't mind so much now. I wasn't a weak human that he could manipulate anymore.

:-:-:

Emmett was waiting for me in what was now our bedroom when we arrived back at the house. It still felt surreal to me that this was supposed to be what I considered _my_ home now since I had spent so long as an outsider. Still, I had nowhere else to go and no one else to turn to, so I would accept it regardless how strange it felt. He patted the bed next to him while his eyes roamed my body hungrily. Hunting had been successful for two things; sating my thirst and ravaging my dress.

"I must say, you pull off the tattered look quite well."

"And you can be quite the jerk," I quipped, earning a pout from him and a boisterous laugh from everyone else in the house.

"I thought it would be more fun if you learned how to hunt on your own. I know I didn't like being told what to do."

"Don't I know it?" I inhaled deeply – there were so many new scents in the house to take in that it was nearly distracting – and sighed loudly. "And you know that I came into this expecting you to help me. So don't make me default to the others in the future."

Our minor argument would have made my blood boil in my veins if I had any left. Now it brought out other emotions and impulses; ones that were far from anger and closer to lust. I was only seconds away from ripping apart every shred of clothing on both myself and Emmett and silencing this entire exchange with another need that had yet to be satisfied.

Emmett recognized the look in my eyes and attacked first. His lips captured mine with an intense need and desperation while his hands swiftly sent the remaining shreds of my dress into the corner of the room. My hands made quick work of removing our clothing. Nothing was stopping me from getting everything I wanted now, not ever.

:-:-:

After our little spat and subsequent make-up sex I was left feeling exposed and embarrassed. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined my first time to be such a heat of the moment experience or as a form of reconciliation. Still, I couldn't regret anything. Emmett had been wonderful, better than I ever imagined. He knew just how to touch me to send my body spiraling into pleasure.

But everyone had been home. They had all heard. It was beyond humiliating and I stayed locked up in the room refusing to go downstairs and meet anyone for fear that they would look at me with _that_ look in their eyes. Logically, I knew that they wouldn't. They had probably been listening to the same sounds from one couple or another for decades. I wasn't thinking logically or rationally, though. All I was thinking about was how embarrassing it was to have an audience for my first time.

Emmett eventually tried to set the example for me by bravely putting on new clothes and walking downstairs. No one said a word to him, for that I was immensely thankful. But I still wasn't brave enough to risk going down myself.

A short while later I heard Alice's skipping footsteps approach the bedroom door. She knocked lightly and called to me through the door. I suppressed a groan and rose to answer. Apparently I wasn't going to be allowed to hide in the room forever and it was best to get on with it.

The second that I opened the door I immediately wished that I hadn't. Alice stood there, clothing in hand, along with Jasper who watched me with uneasy eyes. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at him. Alice is my best friend; I would never snap at her. Still, I understood his concern and tolerated his presence with polite indifference. Alice's smile was too bright and made me wary.

"I couldn't help but notice that you killed your dress among other things while you hunted."

She skipped to the bed and landed lightly in the center. Her hands quickly started sorting through the pile and arranging shirts with pants and skirts.

"So I took the liberty of bringing these over to you. I bought them awhile ago and I've just been waiting for the right moment to force them on you." Her eyes roamed my dress appraisingly. "Seeing as how you refuse to come downstairs and you're in dire need of a decent wardrobe, I'm taking my opportunity now."

I scowled at the offensive clothing. Did she really think that I would be comfortable wearing that much frilly pink? Mentally I calculated my odds of reaching the clothing and destroying it before she could stop me.

Alice hissed at me and pulled one particular shirt farther away from me. "Knock it off or I'll force you to go shopping with me next time. Now, let's get started."

After my fashion lesson Alice left me to dress myself before joining the family downstairs. Carlisle was eager to talk to me about the details of my transformation. That was bound to be a touchy subject. There was no part of that memory that I cared to relive, no matter how scientifically he wanted to think about it.

I threw on a dark pair of jeans and deep green v-neck top before looking in the mirror. Then I started back. My eyes. My eyes were a frightening shade of red. They were like something out of a horror movie. Even I was wary of the person staring back at me. Apart from that, I was beautiful. My skin was smoother and paler, the lines of my face were sharpened to accent my high cheekbones, and my lips were fuller. Even my hair appeared to shine more as the light reflected off the reddish highlights. I touched the mirror and watched in amazement as the reflection touched my fingers. Incredible. Surreal.

Everyone was sitting at the dining room table and waiting for me when I finally made my way down the stairs. Esme and Carlisle were seated next to each other and smiled warmly, hand in hand. Alice was bouncing in her seat and grinning while Jasper gave me a subdued smile from his place at her side. Edward's head snapped up when he caught on that I was present and he forced a smile to his face. Only his eyes betrayed the hint of sadness. I saved Emmett for last. He wore the biggest dimpled grin and held his arms out for me as I approached.

I threw myself into his arms and tried to hide my face from everyone else. It was still embarrassing to know that they knew what we had done. And I was still recovering from seeing my new reflection in the mirror. This new person didn't feel like me, only vaguely resembled the human me.

Carlisle began. "Welcome to the family, Bella."

There were hushed murmurs of the same sentiment throughout the table. I kept quiet and waited for my embarrassment to show. It never did.

Carlisle saved me from the discomfort of the moment by launching into a serious of clinical questions about what I felt and experienced during the transformation. He was particularly curious about how much good the morphine did. I lied, as smooth as the rest of them, and told him that I hadn't felt much at all. Later, when no one was around to hear, I would explain to him the crippling effect it actually had. At that moment, though, I didn't want to see sympathy in anyone's eyes.

"And how do you feel now?" he asked. "Thirsty? Stronger?"

"Both, definitely both," I answered. My mind quickly jumped to the trees I had nearly snapped in half when I crashed into them while chasing the rabbit.

Emmett snickered. My temper immediately flared and I fought for self-control while Jasper watched me cautiously. I was _not_ going to be a wild, out of control newborn. But Emmett still had a price to pay today.

I focused my stare back on Carlisle. "Strong enough to take on any one here stupid enough to challenge me."

Alice's tinkling laughter was the only reason that more people were not distraught over my brazen statement. She and Edward shared a knowing look and Jasper relaxed slightly as he felt their ease. Only Carlisle and Esme appeared concerned. Emmett looked like he was ready to take that challenge.

"No way, cupcake. I'm the man. I'm the strongest."

My eyebrows shot up at the audacity of such a statement. I nearly growled at him. "You. Me. Arm wrestling. Now."

We moved to the back yard and found a suitable boulder for our match. Emmett sat down first and wiggled his fingers tauntingly. I placed myself across from him with a glare and waited.

"When I win," he began, "you have to put on a bikini and pose in front of the jeep for a calendar."

Horror shot through me briefly while I considered how humiliating that would be. It didn't take long for anger to flood me again.

"When _I_ win, you're going to take back those words and learn to be humble."

Jasper counted us down. I felt the force of Emmett's hand pressing against my own. I could see the strain of the muscles in his bicep as he tried, futilely, to slam my hand against the rock. His eyes were dark and focused as he concentrated. But my hand never moved an inch. It only took a fractional amount of energy to push back with enough force to hold my hand in place. I smirked.

"Two things," I told him. My hand twitched and brought his down a little. "One, you were talking about the damned adventures we can take now that I am one of you while I lay there burning in my own personal hell. You think that was fun for me? Two, you did not teach me the basic necessity of this lifestyle on your own. You _will_ teach me everything I need to know from now on and you will do it right!"

With that I slammed his hand forcefully into the boulder, shattering it to pieces under the weight and exertion. Emmett growled and attacked my lips with his own.

:-:-:

Esme, either because she loved us enough to know that we would need some privacy, or because she was sick of listening to us going at it all hours of the day, had been working on a small house that I helped design in my few hours untangled from Emmett. I was desperately looking forward to the day that we could move in and have a tiny bit of privacy for ourselves. Emmett did not appear to have any sort of shame regarding our sexcapades, but then again, Emmett rarely had any sort of shame so that did not exactly surprise me.

My biggest regret was that Edward had to listen to it all. Regardless that I did not love him the same way anymore, I did not want him to hurt because of me. And him listening to Emmett and I being intimate as often as we were was definitely not helping him at all. This new home for us would be a reprieve for everyone, especially Edward.

The day that Esme announced our new home was ready was one of great excitement. I would not allow Emmett within two feet of me all day because I knew that we would shortly be by ourselves and thus I could abstain from sex for that long… so long as he did not brush up against me or kiss my neck or… no, I couldn't even think about it.

Alice had insisted on dressing me up to celebrate the occasion. No matter how much I protested she was there with an argument. I had agreed that she could dress me for the day so long as I approved of the outfit and I did not have to shop for it. Of course, she was disappointed that I refused to shop with her but more than made up for it by negotiating that for my entire wardrobe, essentially giving her free reign to go on a huge shopping spree.

She chose a simple, classy outfit for today. My black pencil skirt accentuated my curves nicely and was paired with a blood red, silk, button-down shirt. She insisted that I leave the top few buttons undone for extra glam, although I think that she was actually going for extra sex appeal. Though I was more than able to walk gracefully now in heels, I still preferred flats, so for today we had compromised on a low heel peep-toe shoe. She styled my hair and added a touch of make-up before we left as well.

The entire family was waiting for us when we finally made our way downstairs. Esme was wrapped against Carlisle's side. Emmett stood next to them waiting anxiously for me. Jasper stood next to him and smiled widely as Alice flew into his waiting arms. Edward stood on the opposite side of Carlisle with a forced smile, refusing to meet my gaze after his initial look in my direction. I made my way down to them and Esme held her hand out with the key in it. I took it from her and wrapped her tightly into a hug. The entire family enveloped us into one large family hug.

"Well, dears, I think it's time to show you your new home." Esme appeared as if she wanted to cry.

Emmett grabbed my hand and began to lead me out the door but my other arm was caught. I looked back to find Edward looking at me with a pained expression.

"Can I have just a moment?"

I wanted to object. I wanted to tell him that right now all I wanted was to go see my new home; my new home with Emmett. But seeing the look in his eyes stopped me dead in my tracks.

"I'll give you two a minute," Emmett answered for me.

I looked back at him. "Don't worry, cupcake. I trust you. Come back to me when you're ready."

It was impossible to miss the double meaning behind his words. It took my breath away and I fought the urge to hold him in place to keep him from walking away from me. But I knew that whatever it was that Edward wanted to talk to me about, I needed to hear it. There was no way to give myself entirely to Emmett without closing the chapter with Edward for good.

"You don't have to move out you know."

I looked back to meet his liquid topaz eyes. "Oh, but I do."

"Really, you don't. We may not be together, Bella, but that doesn't change the fact that I don't want to be apart from you."

"Edward, could you stop being so masochistic for one moment and think about this? Everyday that I stay here is another day that you have to listen to Emmett and I being intimate with one another. Everyday that I stay here is another day that you have to listen to whatever impure thoughts I am quite sure that he has about me. Everyday that I stay here is another day that you are tormenting yourself knowing that I am here and you will never have me."

"And everyday you stay here is another day that I can admire you, if only from a distance," he cut in.

"You aren't making this any easier on either of us."

"I'm sorry. It's selfish and sick, I know that. But I just can't bear to go an entire day without seeing you."

"We'll still be around. It isn't like we are disappearing forever or leaving the family. We just need some time to be ourselves as a couple away from the family. I need some time to adjust to this life without having you watching me every second of the way."

He looked hurt as I said the last part. "Did you only allow me to teach you to hunt to spite Emmett?"

"No!" I replied quickly then grimaced. "Alright, yes, initially. But I did want to learn to hunt and Emmett was definitely not offering. And it was nice to spend time with you in a friendly way. That's what I want for us. I want us to be able to get along as friends in the future, like how you are with Alice, Jasper and Emmett, like siblings." He made a sour face when I mentioned us as siblings. "That's how we have to be from now on, Edward. That is why we need the time and space to help us get there. You need time to get over me and I need time to accept the situation."

"So now the love of my life is reduced to my sister," he mused bitterly. "I waited over a century to find you only to be stupid enough to lose you to my brother."

"To be fair, your mistakes affect others as well. Do you think that it is entirely fair to me that I have to watch you suffer each day? It hurts me to see you that way. I may not be in love with you anymore but I do still care about you and I don't want to see you in pain. It hurts Emmett too. He doesn't want to be jealous of you but he understands that I am forever tied to you. So when you are upset it makes me upset and he becomes upset as well."

"Would you like me to leave?"

It almost seemed as if he wanted me to tell him yes. There was a sense of hope in his voice, like he would never be able to force himself away, but he would if I asked him to. I could never do that to them, or to him. He needed the family just as much as we needed him.

"No," I replied honestly. "I want you to stay." His eyes brightened and the small spark of life was back in them. "But I am leaving," I continued.

His head dropped down. "I know. All I really wanted to tell you was good-bye and I hope that you love your new home. I helped with part of it."

"Thank you," I replied, letting my fingertips touch his forearm.

He looked up and pulled me into his chest. I could feel his nose in my hair as he inhaled deeply. "Go on then," he said playfully. "I'm sure that everyone is waiting for you."

Edward released me and I ran out to meet the family, following their scent as Edward had taught me to do. I found them a short distance away standing in the midst of the trees. Emmett smiled warmly at me and held his arms open widely, a clear invitation. I smiled back in response and flew into his waiting arms. He held me tightly and swung me around laughing.

"So where is this house I was promised?" I asked once he set me back on my feet.

A small breeze blew by, bringing in a disgusting smell that made me turn up my nose.

"About that, there was a change in plans. We have one more surprise for you before we get to the house."

"Can't it wait?" I pleaded. I wanted to get inside and away from the stench as much as I wanted to get inside and be alone with Emmett.

He grinned at me. "Unfortunately not, cupcake. If I know you, and I do, you aren't going to want to leave for awhile once you get in there. So we're doing this now."

Emmett spun me around so that my back was pressed to his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around me. Jasper moved one side of me and Carlisle to my other. Alice and Esme stood back. Esme looked worried and Alice smiled while rolling her eyes.

"Alright, whenever you are ready," Emmett yelled.

The smell intensified with another breeze. It was worse than wet dog combined with rancid garbage. I'm sure that if I could, I would have regurgitated anything in my stomach. A dark form appeared in the tree line that I recognized immediately.

"Jacob!"

"Hey Bells!" he greeted at a distance. "You sound different. You smell gross too."

I scowled at that and heard his rumbling laughter. "Well you don't smell too great yourself. Seriously? Wet dog and rotting garbage?"

Emmett's laughter shook my frame. Jasper seemed to relax which made Carlisle relax in turn. I eyed them curiously. Why would they be so cautious with me around Jacob? He had been my best friend for years. I would never… oh. He had a pulse. And Emmett and I had been far too busy in our bedroom antics to hunt for a week now. I would be lying if I said that it wasn't a tempting thought.

Jasper seemed to catch the change in my mood and immediately grasped my arm tightly. I didn't even try to fight him off despite my warring instincts. Jacob was my friend; I couldn't hurt him, regardless how thirsty I was.

Jacob watched the entire exchange and rolled his eyes as he advanced. "She won't hurt me," he scoffed. "I look too good topless to go to waste for a meal that doesn't even smell appetizing."

I snorted but Jasper replied before I could. "You had better keep your distance mutt. There is only so much that we can do if she snaps at you."

"I'm not going to snap at him. I'm not putting my teeth, or nose, anywhere near that."

"I think I will take that as a compliment." Jacob winked at me to show he was teasing.

I stuck my tongue out at him earning a tinkling laugh from Alice. "Take it how you will. So whose bright idea was this?"

"Mine," Jacob announced proudly. "I figured I needed to test the waters before we allow you around other humans. You know? Make sure that you are safe near them."

"_Other _humans?" I asked hesitantly.


	17. Chapter 17

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

**:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:**

"I can't go anywhere near humans, Jake." I tried to control the panic in my voice.

He knew that. He had to have known that. Someone had to have explained to him how bloodthirsty and savage newborns were, especially around humans. Not to mention the fact that if I saw anyone from this town they would know first- I did not in fact die, and second - I looked very different than I used to. Coming in contact with humans was simply out of the question.

"Eventually you are going to see other humans, Bella." There was a hint of condescension in his tone. "I'm assuming that you are going to go vegan or whatever like them so you're going to mix and mingle eventually. Why not test your willpower now?"

"Because I have no willpower yet," I hissed at him.

Honestly. What part of this was so difficult for him to grasp? He of all people should want me to stay as far away from humans as possible. His entire purpose as a werewolf was to ensure that my kind did not hunt them. Why would he be so adamant about ensuring that I was safe to interact with them? Shouldn't he prefer that I just keep my distance entirely?

"You willpower is just fine, Bells. You haven't taken a single snap at me," he challenged.

I rolled my eyes in exasperation. "That's because you smell horrible. I'd rather starve."

"You used to like my scent just fine. You would take deep whiffs of me to remember me by."

A growl built in my chest at his smug attitude. "And I'm sure at one point I smelled pleasant to you as well. Would you care for a whiff now?"

"Touché," he muttered with a smile.

"I think that Bella has had enough for one day," Carlisle interrupted. "Perhaps it is time that we allowed her and Emmett to have some peace and quiet."

"So you are staying around?" Jacob seemed hopeful.

"Yes," I replied hesitantly. "Would you rather I leave?"

"No! I mean, I told you Bella. Just because you're different, I still can't lose you."

"Thank you, Jake."

For a brief second he smiled at me the way he used to before, back when he was just Jacob. I couldn't help but smile in response knowing that _my_ Jacob was still in there after everything. I took a step in his direction, meaning to hug him if the stench wasn't too overwhelming.

Jacob's expression and posture changed. "You can stay here as long as you want as long as nobody in town gets suspicious and no one else has to lose their pulse thanks to you bloodsuckers." The tenor of his voice reminded me of Sam. I didn't like it.

"Glad to know that I'm still the same Bella to you."

Jacob looked pained when he caught my words. "Bella," he half pleaded half apologized. "You'll always be the same Bella to me. But I have to look out for the good of the pack and the town. I can't risk any of us being exposed."

I sighed. "I know. It was great to see you again, Jake. But I would like to go see my new home now."

"Sure, sure," he replied. "See ya around, Bells."

With that, he ran back into the cover of the trees and changed back to his wolf form. He let out a howl before he ran off in the direction that he came. While it was slightly disheartening to watch him leave, it was also a bit of a reprieve from the stench. That was definitely not a part of this life that I was going to enjoy. I already missed the days when Jacob had a pleasant smell.

Alice grinned widely and ran over to hug me as soon as Emmett let go of me. She grabbed my hand and dragged me along behind her as we ran the rest of the distance to Emmett and my new home. When the faint light from the clearing began to appear she stopped suddenly, causing Emmett to run straight into me.

"Really, Alice?" I grumbled. "You couldn't see that one coming?"

She giggled as she took Jasper's hand and stood in front of me. "Of course I did. I had to give him a chance to run into you with clothes on at least once today."

Emmett snorted behind me and gripped my waist possessively. "Where's the fun in that?"

Esme walked up beside me and hushed all arguments. She took my hand and led me to the opening of the clearing to show me the house that she had worked so hard designing and putting together for me.

It was breathtaking; and that is truly something considering that I do not physically need air to survive. It resembled the house that I shared with my mother back in Phoenix. My eyes stung in unfamiliar ways while I gazed at it, my voice too full of emotion to try to speak. Emmett smiled at me and winked when I looked at him questioningly; I had never described that house to Esme.

"You're home now," he whispered to me.

I smiled and kissed him softly before turning my attention back to the house in front of me. It was gorgeous. The blue was the same color as the summer sky kissed by a wispy cloud. The double front doors were painted bright yellow, just like Renee had done, but they were intricately carved and ornate with Esme's creative touch. A small white picket fence surrounded the property just as it had in Phoenix. Only, there were rose bushes and honeysuckle covering the lattice instead of a garden of tiny succulent cacti.

"Esme," I breathed out. "It's perfect."

"Thank you, and you're welcome," she replied. "I'm sure that you will love the interior just as much. We'll leave you two to explore. Please remember to visit once in awhile." She gave me a knowing wink.

I nearly turned to protest her statement but felt Emmett pressed against me. Maybe she had a fair point there.

Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Jasper all wrapped around Emmett and I and hugged us tightly. Alice lingered longer than the others, looking as though she would cry if she were physically capable. I knew the feeling. Finally, when we were alone, Emmett led me inside.

As promised, it was just as amazing. The ceilings had a low vault and were painted in a rich ivory tone with golden speckles. The walls were deep crimson on the lower half and cream colored on the top, with a layer of gold molding separating them. The floors were a dark hardwood to match with the crimson of the walls. There was a small red brick fireplace nestled into the corner of the room as well. On top of the mantle were two photos; one of Renee and Phil smiling at one another, the other of Charlie and I on my 18th birthday.

My hand instinctively reached up to trace Charlie's face in the photo. I smiled at it though more than anything I wanted to cry. I would always be surrounded by my family, but I would never see them again. It was a bittersweet reality, but it was what I had chosen. I still did not regret that decision.

Esme had adorned the walls with various paintings, all of which appeared to be originals rather than replicas. While they were beautiful and intriguing, my eyes flickered back to the two photos. I loved them, really I did. But there was something missing. After all, this wasn't just _my_ house. Emmett had his place here as well. We would have to add our own photo soon enough.

Emmett placed his hand on mine. "Why don't we look at the rest of the house?"

He could be entirely transparent sometimes. While I was grateful to him for lightening the mood, it was entirely too obvious that he was anxious for me to make it to the bedroom… and possibly not leave for awhile. I rolled my eyes playfully at him and danced across the room down the hallway.

At the end of the hall were two doors. On the right side was a double door carved to match the entry to the size but in a deep mahogany tone. On the left side was a simple white door that looked rather unimpressive. I glanced curiously between the two.

"One leads to our bedroom and the other to the library," Emmett whispered into my ear.

I took a step away from him. His breath tickling my neck was doing crazy things to my senses and diminishing the fragile hold that I had on my self-control. He was truly a dangerous creature after all; I was in great danger of not doing anything except making love to him for the rest of my existence.

"Which one is the library?"

"On the right." His tone made it obvious that he would choose the bedroom.

Instead, I walked into the library and spun around in a slow circle taking in my surroundings. The high walls were filled to the brim with shelves and each shelf contained either books that were my favorites, written by my favorite authors, or were books that I had wanted to read. There was only one person in the world that would have known about this; Edward. His contribution to my new life would become my own personal sanctuary, much like his piano was to him. He had to have known just how much I would appreciate this. One day I would have to remember to thank him.

Emmett walked up quietly behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder. We swayed back and forth slowly while my eyes hungrily roamed the spines of each book as I quickly read each title and memorized its location for future reference. The room smelled wonderfully of worn leather and parchment. I closed my eyes contentedly, savoring the moment.

"We can read one now if you would like."

His suggestion was not sincere because as he spoke his breath tickled the back of my neck and his nose rubbed along the curve of my ear in the most erotic way. His hands seemed to loosen their grip around my waist and slide further down to the tops of my thighs. That was definitely not the behavior of a man that intended to sit quietly and read a book all evening.

I quickly disregarded the books and ran off to the last unexplored room of the house before I became too caught up in Emmett to pay proper attention to it. Before I could open the door Emmett's hand slammed it closed. His eyes were dark and full of mischief as he grinned at me. His dimples perfectly accentuated the impish gleam in his eyes.

"I've decided to make one rule in this house," he declared.

I was immediately on the defensive. How dare he make rules for me in my own home! To be fair, it belonged to us both, but the point remained.

"This home is our own personal space where we're free to just be us without anyone around to eavesdrop. But in this room?" he nodded towards it as his smirk grew. "In this room, there will be no clothing. This is our naked room."

Emmett waggled his eyebrows at me and allowed his eyes to roam my body freely. The openness of the shirt exposing my cleavage and the snugness of the skirt to my curves did not leave much to the imagination.

Inwardly I balked at the idea. At heart I'm still a shy girl. But I wasn't about to let him see that. I smirked right back at him. "You first."

He didn't hesitate a minute to literally rip the clothes off his body and throw them to the floor. He strut towards me with his hands on his hips proudly and nodded towards me while licking his lips. Even with vampire speed, he had not wasted any time in embracing nudity. No matter how comfortable I was with him, I would always be just a little modest. He startled to chuckle when I touched my cheeks waiting for my blush to appear. I finally conceded that it would not and slowly began to undress.

:-:-:

"So beautiful. So sweet," he murmured against my chest.

We laid entwined that way for awhile. The two of us were content simply to be in one another's arms in an intimate way. It was peaceful, pure bliss. There was nothing in the world that mattered at that moment except for the fact that I was in the arms of the man that I loved and he loved me as well.

"We should hunt."

Emmett's casual observation made me want to groan. The thirst was bearable, almost ignorable, until someone mentioned it. As soon the words left his mouth my throat was on fire. I nodded in confirmation and stood up to get dressed.

For the first time, I noticed my new room. It was designed after the room that Emmett and I shared in the Cullen house. The bed had the same green duvet with golden floral design. The headboard was a dark mahogany color that I now noticed matched my hair. The walls were painted in a café colored earthen tone. The floors were dark hardwood with a deep green area rug underneath the bed. The open closet was by far the most impressive. Alice must have had to pull off a major feat with Esme to accomplish that. Walking into the closet was almost intimidating. As suspected, Alice had taken full advantage of my compromise to allow her to stock my wardrobe so long as I did not have to shop with her for it. The racks wrapped around and were filled with designer shirts and frivolous dresses that I would never wear.

Emmett stepped forward, handing me a pair of jeans and a casual shirt in the process. He winked at my confused reaction and pulled on his own clothes. I dressed quickly and left the closet in a hurry. That certainly was not my favorite part of the house; although I did appreciate the effort behind it. And at the rate Emmett and I were going, I may end up wearing far more of those clothes than I intended thanks to him ripping them off me.

This hunting trip was much more successful. Emmett let me take the first kill while he sat back and watched me proudly. Of course, he also mercilessly taunted me over the fact that my shirt was already shredded into pieces and that he should come finish the job. I warned him to keep his distance so that I could finish hunting and took off into a thicker part of the forest.

An unfamiliar scent caught my attention and I began to follow it blindly. I was running farther and farther from Emmett and not paying the slightest attention to that fact. This new scent had caught my attention and I needed to investigate it. It was vaguely familiar even though I did not recognize it. That right there should have been my first warning.

The second warning came seconds after I stepped out into a small clearing and glanced around at the moonless sky.

"Well hello, Bella."

I bristled at the voice and turned slowly. My instincts flared as I recognized the need to not let anyone catch me from behind. Rosalie stood there glaring at me, just I had suspected. Seeing her there, beautiful even though she was covered in bracken, made me wary. I could only hope that Emmett was still just as fierce in his commitment to me as he was before. Now that my humanity was no longer up for discussion, she would be pulling out all the stops to smooth their fight over and win him back.

"You reek of my husband. Is Edward no longer enough for you?"

"Apparently Emmett was no longer enough for you since you were so quick to leave him," I shot back. "I was there for him when you weren't." And just to rub salt in the wound, so to speak, I added, "I'm there for _all_ the needs that you no longer service."

Rosalie hissed and took a menacing step in my direction. I held my ground, a snarl ripped through my chest. She may have experience on me, but I still had newborn strength coursing through me as well as a reason to fight her. My instincts refused to back down from the threat.

Alice came flying into the clearing at that moment. There was a fierce determination in her eyes that caught me off guard as she began to drag me from the clearing. I had to remember that she was my friend and that I trusted her. Every fiber of my being told me to snap at her and crush Rosalie when I finished. But Alice would never harm me so it wasn't right to hurt her.

I reluctantly allowed her to drag me away when I saw Carlisle enter the clearing behind us. He could smooth things over with her. There was nothing that I wanted to say to this… intruder. She was about to ruin every ounce of my new happiness. While there was plenty to say and much more to be done, at that very moment, I wanted nothing more than to run away and forget about it, to find Emmett again and return to our moments of peace and bliss.

Once we were back at the Cullen home, Alice turned to face me with wide eyes. "I'm sorry. I should have seen this sooner, but I wasn't looking for her anymore. I came as soon as I saw."

"It's not your fault, Alice."

No matter what happened, Alice would never have kept this from me. It had to be tearing her apart inside to have missed it for so long. And I could hardly blame her for not wanting to look. She shouldn't feel guilty.

"Where is Emmett?" I asked.

He had not been in the clearing with me when I found Rosalie. It was possible that she would be out there searching him out now. The thought made the hairs on the back of my neck bristle and I wanted nothing more than to search her out and rip her apart viciously.

"Easy there, Bella." Calmness enveloped me as Jasper walked over. "Just take a deep breath and relax. No one here is particularly fond of Rosalie, but the level of anger coming off you is enough to make me feel like two tom cats fighting over the same pussy, pardon the term."

"He's mine!" Jasper sent a more intense calming wave in my direction.

"Of course he is, sweetie," Alice cooed. "No one is arguing with you. Jasper is just saying that we all need to calm down and think rationally about this right now."

Alice was clever with her words. I'll give her that. No one else in the house was worked up besides me but she somehow knew that singling me out in that statement would not be beneficial. I loved her that much more for her intuitiveness. Of course, she was the psychic; she may have already seen possible outcomes based on what she said. Either way, she was trying and I loved her for it.

"Where is Emmett?"

The concerned look that passed between Jasper and Alice did not escape my attention but thanks to his gift I was unable to properly react to it. I sighed loudly as I fought to muster up any kind of emotion.

"He is dealing with Rosalie right now."

That piqued my curiosity. Would he destroy her? Would he leave her to live? Would he be hurt in the process? My mind buzzed with unanswered questions.

"He hasn't decided what he is going to do yet. Right now they are still talking. Carlisle is mediating to make sure that things don't get out of hand and Edward is hiding in the forest, listening as well."

I relaxed at that. At least if Rosalie didn't get her way she would not inflict any harm on Emmett. Though it did give me time to sit and think about what Emmett and I shared.

While I was sure that we were mated, how could I be sure that he felt the same way? After all, he had already felt that way about Rosalie once and that changed. What would stop him from changing his mind about me in the future? There was no way that I could endure eternity in solitude. While I had always been the 'suffer in silence' type that did not mean that I looked forward to it. An eternity without the love of my life was a poor way to waste an existence.

It almost made me feel sorry for Rosalie. Her intended mate left her and now she roamed alone. I suppose that was enough to make anyone bitter and desperate. I didn't like her any better, but I understood her.

And I finally began to understand what Edward had meant when he said that there was no reason to live after I was gone. If he felt even remotely about me the way that I now felt about Emmett, living forever knowing you had lost it would be too painful to live through. Humans, animals, even the sun may not be able to destroy me, but having to live without Emmett surely would. There was no point to forever without him.

Esme walked over and threw a comforting arm around my shoulders. I smiled appreciatively at her and rested against her while she ran her fingers threw my hair, picking out the bits of leaves leftover from hunting. She didn't speak. She simply held me. She gave me the physical comfort that I was lacking, acting every part the surrogate mother.

Alice jumped up excitedly about half an hour later. While they had been right - time flies by alarming fast as a general rule - that half hour passed excruciatingly slow. That half hour was spent with my frozen heart aching in ways reminiscent of my human days. I made no move except to follow her movements with my eyes. I would not allow myself to hope until she told me what she saw.

"Emmett is coming home and Rosalie is heading north," she chirped merrily. "He'll be here in two minutes and seven seconds."

Great! More waiting. Fate really had a twisted sense of humor. One day I would have to examine that concept and why the sisters of fate seemed so amused by torturing people. For now, I was nervous enough waiting for Emmett to come back. I had always returned to him, I should trust him enough to return to me. But the fact remained that I was just as uncertain now as I was as a human, particularly because Rosalie continued to live.

Precisely two minutes later the front doors burst opens and I looked up to find Emmett scanning the room frantically. His eyes landed on me and he broke out into a huge smile full of bright white teeth and perfect little dimples. I smiled automatically in response as I watched his eyes light up. He ran to me and picked me up, swinging me around in a wide circle. I had to tuck my legs in against myself so that I wouldn't break the couch or a lamp as he swung me around. His lips peppered my entire face with small kisses. I loved this side of him; the carefree side that didn't care what people thought or who was watching. The side of him that was simply Emmett.

"Don't you ever get away from me again," he told me fiercely. His eyes blazed in a golden fire that matched the intensity of his voice.

"Never," I whispered.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Alice bouncing excitedly while Jasper struggled to calm her. She brushed off his efforts and kept her eyes focused on me with a knowing twinkle in her eye. I tried my best to ignore her and focus on the wonderful man in front of me but she was making that exceedingly difficult

"Jasper?" I kept my tone innocent.

"Yes, Bella?" His voice betrayed his curiosity.

"Just how strong is that little gift of yours?" I asked. He wrinkled his brow but did not immediately answer. "Would it be strong enough to put a vampire into a coma?"

The house erupted into laughter while Alice glared at me. She hissed at me and stormed out of the room muttering something about me finding out soon enough. Jasper tried to conceal his amused grin as he chased after her. I let her comment pass without a second thought. For now, I was right where I wanted to be; in Emmett's loving embrace.

Emmett and I said a quick good-bye to the family and made our way back to our own home. Above the door was a new addition to the house; a carved wooden sign that read 'Cullen Home.' The flowers that decorated the frame matched the ones on the headboard of our bed. I quirked my eyebrow at Emmett but he merely shrugged his shoulders with an unrepentant grin and kissed me quickly to distract me. While we had not exactly had a fight, we still had amazing make-up sex.

Afterwards I contented myself with exploring my library. There were more books than I could have hoped to accumulate in my human lifetime, all at my fingertips. It was incredibly surreal and I was so excited that I could have squealed like a little girl. They had been organized by genre and then alphabetized by title, obviously thanks to Edward's meticulous organization. I debated selecting a familiar classic or a new one. Eventually I decided that I would keep with the current trend in my life and choose something new. I picked up _East of Eden_ by John Steinbeck. I pressed the soft book to my nose and inhaled deeply, savoring the smell of crisp pages. I smirked to myself as I picked out the copy of _Anno Dracula_ for Emmett, knowing how much he enjoyed reading the silly vampire stories.

I carried the books out to the cozy living room where Emmett was busy fiddling with the fire. We didn't need either the warmth or the light, but it was a nice human touch that reminded me of my old life. We snuggled close on the couch and pulled a soft blanket over us as we started reading our respective books. Emmett even added a pair of wide, rectangular-framed, black plastic glasses to complete his "scholarly look." I couldn't help but snort at that. To the core, this man was a goof.

Emmett finished his book before I did and began running his fingers through my hair as he watched me read. When it became too difficult for me to focus on the words on the page anymore I put the book down and turned to face him. He smiled softly at me, his face illuminated by the soft glow from the fire and glowing embers. I ran my fingers through his dark curls and smiled to myself when he leaned back so that his head was cradled in my hands.

"Want to play a game?"

He sat up straighter and looked at me anxiously. I nodded my head cautiously, still just a little curious about his sudden change in tempo. I loved Emmett to death, but sometimes his ideas were better kept to himself.

"Sort of like twenty questions but you can keep going if it is in the same line of questioning until the next person's turn," he explained.

"Alright…" I answered. "Who goes first?"

"Ladies first, cupcake."

"What was your favorite flavor cupcake as a human?"

He rolled his eyes at me. "No brainer. Definitely chocolate."

I pouted slightly at him. "I prefer the white cake."

Emmett's eyes roamed over my body hungrily before he broke out into a wide grin. "I suppose there is a certain appeal to those as well, cupcake."

He clapped his hands together and rubbed them deviously. "Why did you try to comfort me that first night that Rosalie and Edward left?"

The name Rosalie caught my attention and I suppressed a growl. I answered his question before deciding what the next one I asked him would be. "Because I know what it feels like to lose the person you love. Everyone can use a little reassurance once in awhile, even if it is a human comforting a vampire." I paused and was just about to ask my question before he interrupted.

"Did you feel anything for me that night?"

"My turn to ask," I protested.

"Same line of questioning." He grinned triumphantly.

I sunk back into my seat and glared at him for successfully blocking my attempt to ask about Rosalie. I would just have to get back to it later, if he didn't thoroughly distract me with this line of questioning. Suddenly I understood why it was a game; one person could dominate the questions if they came up with a good line of questioning. Two can play that game Emmy-bear, two can play that game.

"I might have felt something that first day. I doubt it was anything even remotely recognizable to what I feel now, though. At the time I was just trying to be a good friend to you in a way that no one else could because no one else could understand. We were already connected because of our losses."

Emmett's face fell slightly. "So nothing romantic that night, then?"

I was slightly confused by this. Had he felt something romantic for me? He had kissed my forehead as I fell asleep that first night we spent together. I had just ignored it and chalked it up to him trying to comfort me. Perhaps there was more to him than I realized?

"No, I'm sorry. Did you?" I asked before it registered that I had meant to ask him about Rosalie.

"I may have had some less than friendly feelings for you," he admitted with a shy grin. "That's part of the reason that Rosalie left. She caught me watching you too often. I'm actually surprised that Edward never caught on although I was pretty careful with my thoughts and he was too distracted to notice."

This was new and piqued my interest. "How long?"

"The night of the vote. You were so set on becoming one of us while Rosie had always hated what we were. She still resents this life and I love it. I just had brief thoughts about being with someone that didn't hate what they had become. I have to admit, it's better than I thought it would be."

After his pause he seemed to be formulating a new question so I cut him off. "Is that why you took me home and stayed the night with me?" I smirked to myself. That was three questions in a row for me. I was so winning this game!

"Yep. That and I wanted to hear this infamous sleep-talking thing for myself. Half of it was because I hoped that it would just be so ridiculous that I could look at you as my little sister again and half of it was me hoping that you would say my name in the middle of the night."

"And did I?"

"Sorry, cupcake. That's a new line of questioning. My turn!" He grinned at me with a quick wink. "So if your feelings for me weren't romantic, then what was it besides trying to comfort me that kept you coming back?"

"You're a big ball of fun. Watching you try to scramble eggs or smashing boulders for the heck of it was always entertaining."

He rolled his beautiful eyes. "Yea, sure. But there had to be something there. Was it because I kept the nightmares away?"

I cringed slightly. "You heard those?" He nodded in response. "They did go away when you were near but not for the reason that you might think," I told him, setting myself up perfectly for his next question.

"Explain?"

"It was of Edward and Rosalie coming back to tear us apart. Not literally," I amended. "I mean that they were pushing us apart."

"So subconsciously you wanted me," he mused. "It just took you awhile to admit it to yourself."

"I suppose," I conceded. "So now are you going to tell me about Rosalie?"

Emmett chuckled slightly. "Persistent little thing, aren't you?"

"I thought I was the one asking the questions right now," I retorted.

That made him laugh harder. "Alright, alright. Well, apparently you ruffled her feathers a bit when you suggested that you were meeting all of my, um, needs. So when I showed up right after Alice whisked you away she was pissed. Carlisle wasn't having any luck calming her down either. She implied something about me cheating on her which was just ridiculous since she left me anyway. Anyway, so I told her that she had no right to tell me that I was required to be faithful to her if she wasn't going to stick around to be my wife." He shrugged his shoulders as though it were no big deal.

"You're editing," I accused. "Rosalie would not have left just because you told her that. What happened?"

"I may have told her that I was the one that bit you," he admitted.

A smile threatened the corners of my lips. "I'll bet that really upset her. Especially considering how dead set she was against me being changed. What else?"

Ha! Three in a row for a second time. Beat that Emmett!

"She insisted that we were still married so I asked for a divorce. It's not like the technicalities mattered but whatever. If a piece of paper is what is takes for her to accept this then so be it. At least it makes things easier for me."

"But why? How?"

Emmett shook his head and grinned at me. "Alright you win the game." I smirked and waited for him to answer my question. He sucked in a deep breath. "I didn't want to be married to her anymore." I raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to elaborate. "I didn't want to be married to _her_."

I sat there quietly trying to process everything that he had just said. He couldn't really be insinuating what I thought he was trying to say. Could he? Was he really going to ask me to…? No. We had never discussed this. He had never wanted it before. Then again, he had been married before. Not that that would have stopped him if that was what he really wanted. After all, they could create their own identities anytime they felt like it. So why now? What had changed? Was this what he really wanted? Was this what _I_ wanted?

"Bella?" he asked cautiously. I looked up at him. "You're too quiet. You're over-thinking this. I know you. Just relax. We don't have to do anything, say anything, or even mention it. But I had to tell you the truth."

I placed my finger up to his lips to silence him. His bright, golden eyes widened. "Emmett, are you trying to ask me to marry you?"

He took my hands in his before answering. "Only if it's something that you want. I already have a lifetime commitment to you. I just thought, if you wanted to, we could make it official."

That didn't sound like a marriage proposal to me. In fact, I was surprised at just how disappointed I was at that revelation. Did he honestly believe that I would ever say no to him?

"So you aren't asking me because you think I will reject you?"

He grimaced but finally grinned slightly and shrugged his shoulders. "Call me chicken," he offered.

I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him down until our foreheads rested together. I tilted my head up slightly and stopped just shy of meeting his lips. "How about I call you my husband instead?"


	18. Chapter 18

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

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As it was, Emmett just so conveniently happened to have a ring ready to physically mark me as his, as he so eloquently put it. The ring was beautiful. It was a soft golden band with a round, brilliant blue sapphire in the center and surrounded by tiny diamonds. Sapphire, because it was my birth stone as well as one of my favorite colors. I didn't even want to think about how long he had carried that ring around with this in mind when it had not once crossed mine. I contented myself with twirling my hand in the dim light and watching the prisms of light reflect off my new engagement ring.

No more than two minutes had passed since I asked Emmett to marry me and he surprised me with my ring than there was an ominous knock at the door. I giggled as I snuggled into Emmett's chest. It didn't surprise me that our moment was going to be interrupted.

"Saw that coming, did you Alice?"

She burst through the door and launched herself directly at me, grabbing my hand in the process. "Let me see it!"

I laughed as I allowed her to pull my hand out to admire the ring. "Didn't you see it in your vision?"

"Of course, silly. But it isn't the same as actually seeing it on you. I knew it would be beautiful but this is spectacular."

Truly it was. I still could not believe that I had not only embraced the idea of marriage, but that I had been the one to propose. Me! Silly, shy, modest Bella had proposed to the gorgeous piece of man-candy Emmett. When you no longer have to worry about what your parents or the town will say about marrying early, the stigma of teen marriage no longer matters. To be honest, I was more committed to Emmett than any wedding ceremony could ever try to celebrate. Anyone can divorce after marriage, but Emmett and I were mated… in every sense of the word. We were completely and utterly committed to one another for all eternity.

Alice told me that Emmett and I were required to go to the house later for the engagement party she planned for us. I didn't see what the big deal was since it was just the seven of us. Really, there wouldn't even be food or drink to celebrate. Unless she planned to capture some animals and let us hunt in the house, I didn't even see how this party could be exciting. Regardless, I complied after she pulled her infamous pout on me. She knew I was a sucker for it and it was definitely playing dirty, but truth be told I was a little excited to show off my ring to Esme.

We arrived right on time, although what time that was I was not sure. It was dark outside, not that that hindered our eyesight. The stars glittered brilliantly in the night sky illuminating our way. Alice had strung twinkling white Christmas lights throughout the halls to create a soft white glow. Crystal vases were filled with orange roses and tiny white calla lilies strategically placed amidst them. The banister of the staircase was wrapped in an ivy and orange blossom garland that filled the house with a sweet fragrance. It was simple but perfect. Of course, Alice would have known exactly that.

As expected, Esme was overjoyed that we were engaged and couldn't wait to gush over my ring. She even complimented Emmett on his unusual choice that seemed to fit me perfectly. Carlisle stayed back and watched his wife with obvious amusement along with Jasper. Jasper, of course, could not fight back the wide grin that took over thanks to all the love and excitement in the house. I amped up my excitement enough to have him send a very unthreatening warning glare in my direction.

The family gathered around us in a celebratory hug. Even Edward forced a smile to join us. I suppose I did have some explaining to do since my thoughts on marriage had changed radically recently. Then again, I did not owe him any explanations since he had already left me twice. I was done explaining myself or feeling the need to. Edward had made his decisions and I had made my own. Now it was just time to face the music and live with them… for all eternity.

Alice pulled me to face her directly. "Now, Bella," she started. Edward chuckled and shook his head earning a deadly glare from her. "Would you like to plan your wedding or would you like me to plan it?"

I snorted. Who said anything about planning a wedding? For all I cared we could drive down to Las Vegas tonight and be married before the sun rose. Actually, that wasn't a bad idea. I had yet to see what this hype about fast cars was and now would be the perfect time to test that theory.

"Not a chance," Alice hissed while narrowing her eyes at me. "You are going to have a proper wedding and not getting married in a tacky drive-thru chapel!"

"They seriously have those?" Emmett asked. "Why can't we do that?" I knew there was a reason I loved this man.

"Not a chance," Alice repeated. "I already see you giving in and having a beautiful ceremony."

"Would that be a self-fulfilling prophecy, Alice? Since you told me I'm more likely to agree?"

Edward snorted, proving my point. Alice simply closed her eyes and held up a finger, signaling for me to wait for her vision. When it finished I caught Edward roll his eyes before smirking. That couldn't be good. Alice grinned triumphantly at me.

"It's going to be gorgeous. And I _love_ your dress! And yes I would love to be your maid of honor. I'm so… honored! Now, we need to call Oscar and make sure that he gets the design on time and…"

"Alice!" I cut in. She looked up at me, slightly miffed that I interrupted her planning. "What if Emmett doesn't want a big wedding? Did you take his decision into consideration?"

She paused and her eyes widened before they narrowed at me. "Emmett wants this too."

"Hell no! I want Elvis to marry me while I sit in the car and watch the floozies walking down the Vegas Strip."

Watch the floozies walking down the strip as we got married? I think not. I controlled my instinct to growl at him. Alice squealed and bounced in place before I could even register the decision I had just made. Emmett watched her with a curious expression, waiting for someone to explain it to him.

"You are _not_ watching anyone but me when you marry me!"

He grinned widely at me. His dimples settled deeply in his perfect cheeks. "Damn, cupcake! You're hot when you're jealous."

I rolled my eyes at him and reluctantly turned back to Alice. She took that as her invitation to inundate my brain with all of her plans for the ceremony and reception. At some point I ceased to pay attention. I would never admit it verbally, but I really did not care. So long as I stood there and said "I do" and Emmett repeated those words without any funny business, the rest was of little consequence. I could be dressed in an over-stuffed gown and set in a powder-puffed pink gazebo for all I cared. All that mattered was the fact that legally Emmett and I would belong to one another. The rest were superfluous details that Alice could handle, which she appeared more than capable of at the moment.

"Bella!" She snapped her fingers angrily in front of my dazed eyes. I turned to glare in her direction. "Did you just listen to a word I said?" she half asked, half accused.

"I heard you," I answered slyly. That was the truth. I had heard her verbal ramblings, I just hadn't listened closely to pay attention.

"I asked you if you listened," she repeated. Damn her.

There was no point in lying to the pixie. She knew she had me cornered and she would get her way eventually. Even I couldn't deny that. So I shook my head and pretended to listen to her attempt at reprimanding me. It was only when Esme cut in to tell her that perhaps it would be best for everyone if she simply planned the wedding and then allowed me to check off on her plans to make sure that I approved that I actually paid attention. I smiled sweetly at Esme and thanked her for that minor miracle in thwarting Alice's attempts to involve me in yet another girly crusade.

I took advantage of a brief window of opportunity when Alice was thoroughly engrossed in floral arrangements to sneak out. It hadn't been that long since I had seen Jacob, but I was in desperate need of someone that would be sympathetic to my cause. Emmett was too easy going to be truly disappointed that we weren't getting married at a drive-thru chapel in Las Vegas, compelling as the idea was.

Thankfully, Jacob answered when I called him. He sounded excited when I asked to meet him and said he would leave immediately. I briefly considered inviting him to my home, but decided that I didn't want the place to reek of werewolf. Instead, I would meet him at the clearing that the Cullens played baseball in. It was a wide open space without the intimacy of a home and enough fresh air that we could both tolerate each other's odors.

Jacob loped into sight minutes after I arrived. Today, surprisingly, he also wore a shirt. It was a pleasant change from the topless giant that always seemed to greet me lately. I smiled brightly at him as he approached and ran over to give him a hug. He flinched back at my icy touch and I refused to let him go. His warm skin just felt so good underneath my fingertips. He really was my own personal ray of sunshine and warmth. It wasn't until I inhaled deeply that I released him. He really did reek of wet dog and rotten garbage all in one. Whatever happened to that wonderful, woodsy, musky scent of his?

"See? I knew you wouldn't bite me," he taunted.

I rolled my eyes and stepped back. "Don't tempt me."

"So…" he drawled. "What's going on that ran you out of the house?"

"Who said I was run out?" When he quirked his eyebrow at me I knew he had called my bluff. "Alice is planning my wedding and I don't want any part of it until I have to say 'I do.'"

He threw his head back and laughed long and hard at that. By the time he was finished laughing he had tears streaking down his russet colored cheeks. I huffed in annoyance. He was finding great amusement in my suffering when he was supposed to be my sympathetic friend.

"Sorry," he apologized once he had regained his compose. "I was just trying to picture you all dolled up and trying to walk down the aisle in heels." He snorted over the last bit.

I shot him a deadly glare. "You don't think I can dress up or wear heels?"

His expression turned very serious. "I'm positive that you will make a beautiful bride, Bella. I just wish that you could have been a beautiful, blushing bride."

The way that he stared at me made me wonder if he regretted what I had become. It wasn't right for him to of me that way. I was too entirely happy with my life to regret it and he shouldn't either.

"Care to add anymore 'b' words in to that alliteration?" I teased to lighten the serious mood he had just set.

He wore a convincing relaxed smile. "If I were marrying you we could just drive down to Vegas. No need for the show. I would know that you were mine and that's all that I need."

I sighed loudly and looked up towards the clouds. The sun was just peaking out from behind a cloud and casting a small sliver of light on the ground a few feet away from me. Since Jacob was insisting on talking about how things would have been different if I had chosen him, I chose to walk away. I still had never seen myself in the sunlight since the change and that piqued my interest more than his what-ifs.

My hand sparkled brilliantly in the light. I moved it around so that the light played off different pieces of my hand. First my fingertips were tiny diamonds sparkling brighter than my ring, then my wrist, and then my forearm. It was amazing to watch. Absolutely captivating. It was one thing to watch the rest of the family in the sunlight, it was quite another to experience it myself.

Jacob's eyes never left my arm while I played in the sunlight. When I noticed I was torn between watching his reactions and watching the sunlight dance colorfully off my arm.

"Whoa, Bells," Jacob hummed under his breath. "You're too... bright."

I turned to face him and made an obvious display of rolling my eyes playfully. "I sparkle, Jake. Get it right."

He snorted and walked over towards me. It was obvious that he was trying not to breathe through his nose, and I couldn't entirely blame him. Though I was sure that even if I didn't smell pleasant to him, I couldn't smell nearly as bad as he did. Nothing could smell worse than werewolf.

Jacob reached out and touched the place on my arm that the sunlight hit. He turned it over carefully as he examined it. His touch was so gentle that it briefly reminded me of how he and Edward used to handle me as a human. Emmett had never been quite so gentle with me. I was glad about that because this carefulness really was irritating. I was far from breakable even though they insisted on treating me that way.

"Bella?".

"Yes?"

Jacob looked up at me with deep brown eyes full of an unreadable emotion. "Normal people don't sparkle."

"And normal people don't grow a tail or howl at the moon either."

He grinned widely at me. "Guess that makes you just as weird as me now, huh?"

From there conversation flowed easily with Jacob. We settled back into an easy friendship comparing our different experiences with supernatural life. This had only been a forbidden topic for a short while when he first experienced his transformation. At that time he couldn't tell me what happened until I figured it out. After that he was as open with me as he could be. However, I had always been an outsider to the life. Now I was experiencing it. It was such a relief to be able to talk freely about it to someone.

All too soon it was time for him to get back to the reservation to begin his nightly patrol. Even though the pack recognized that we were no threat to the town, they still refused to let down their guard. I suppose that had a lot to do with the fact that I was supposed to be a crazed, bloodthirsty newborn even though Jacob insisted that was not the case. Either way, I tried not to take offense.

Emmett was waiting for me at home. I gave him a quick kiss and disappeared into the bathroom to take a shower. He should appreciate the fact that I was washing off the wolf scent. There was no need to the odor pollute our little personal sanctuary. The last thing I needed was to be repulsed by Jacob's scent while getting frisky with Emmett. That was sure to be a mood killer.

After my shower I practiced following scents. I closed my eyes and followed the newest trail of Emmett's scent into my library. He chuckled and shook his head at me. I merely shrugged and smiled at him. He was already reading a book so I took the opportunity to choose one at random for myself and sat down beside him.

I flipped the book over and examined the title. It was an original copy of _Don Quixote de la Mancha_. That would be slightly problematic. My knowledge of the Spanish language was limited at best. Though this did provide me with something to do to occupy my time. After all, Carlisle used his excess time to study medicine, Edward the piano, Esme her gardening and architecture, Jasper studied history, Alice designed, and even Emmett occasionally read books. This could be my project. I could devote all the time that I could pry myself away from Emmett's arm to study languages and literature. Perhaps, one day, when I became more comfortable with humans, I could even teach. I smiled to myself. Yes, I would study literature in any available language. I would learn those languages perfectly so that I could read the masterpieces in their original language, without translation, the way that they were meant to be read. And one day, I would be an expert that could teach new, eager minds.

Emmett noticed my smile and looked at me with a hurt expression, like I had just told a good joke but left him out of the loop. I smiled lovingly at him. He really was too cute for his own good at times.

"I was just considering possibilities for my future," I explained. "I think I want to teach eventually."

"Great!" His eyes lit up with interest. "Want me to go put on my schoolboy uniform and start acting out in class so that you can spank me with a yardstick?"

I rolled my eyes. Of course his mind would go directly to role-playing. Not that the thought hadn't crossed my own mind, but at least I was not going to admit it blatantly.

"No, Emmett. I'm serious. I'm going to study languages and read classics and then someday when I'm comfortable enough around humans I'm going to go to college so that I can actually teach."

"Do I get to go? All the times that Rose and I used to pretend to go to college we never actually went. You can't even begin to imagine how boring high school is."

"Absolutely," I told him while brushing my fingers across his cheek. "I wouldn't dream of going anywhere without you. But what would you study?"

He contemplated that for only a brief second before his eyes flashed mischievously. "Chemistry."

"Let me guess, mad scientist?" I laughed at the thought.

"Definitely! Just think of all the fun I can have. I can add chemicals to Esme's gardens. I could replicate werewolf scent and leave it all over Edward or Jasper's room. I could add tints to Alice's shampoo to dye her hair."

"I don't think you'll be able to pull anything over Alice like that," I amended.

He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "True. But I can still entertain myself for a few centuries."

"A few centuries…" I muttered. Then I looked back up at him and smiled. "College it is. I just need a few years to adjust."

"Whatever you say, Bella. I think you'll be fine before you know it. I've got faith in you. And if you slip, so what? It's not like you are looking to kill someone," he said nonchalantly.

How easily he could talk about me killing someone!

"Emmett," I said carefully. "I will _not_ slip. I will _not_ be a murderer. You _will_ help me on this."

He studied my face for a minute. He had to have seen the resolve in my eyes when he slowly nodded and took my face in his powerful hands. He leaned his forehead down to mine and brushed the tips of our noses together. Then he leaned in slightly to place a light kiss on my lips; his own silent apology for not being entirely supportive of my decision to never kill a single human.

"A few years it is. I'll get some things for you to practice resisting the scent. You let me know whenever you're ready for more and we'll work together on building up your resistance."

I nodded at him and picked up my book again. Speaking of practice, I had better start practicing my Spanish again…

:-:-:

Alice had completely outdone herself for the wedding, of course. So many times I had wanted to put my foot down and tell her it was all too much, but the way she made herself so vulnerable when she asked if I liked it made it impossible for me to say no. I had my suspicions that she did that on purpose. Regardless, the wedding was here and it was too late to change anything now.

My dress was gorgeous, just as she had promised it would be. At the time, I had no idea who Oscar was otherwise I would have seriously objected to what she had planned. Since I was oblivious, it was not until my dress arrived that I realized it was an Oscar De La Renta original design. She had actually called in a world renowned designer to make my wedding dress for a simple ceremony that only a handful of people would ever see. I couldn't bring myself to be truly angry as I twirled in front of the mirror examining it. The satin dress was covered in a sheer layer of delicate lace. Tiny cap-sleeves contrasted the sweetheart neckline. Cream ribbon wrapped just under the bust line and tied in a long bow in the back. The dress was fairly form-fitting and had a simple train. Classy, simple, perfect.

Alice came in after I was dressed and looked at though she would cry if she were capable. She sat me down and quickly curled my hair loosely before letting it fall around my shoulders. The curls gave it just enough bounce without looking like too much effort. I didn't even object as she applied shimmery eye shadow or lip gloss. I was still too amazed at my transformation from plain human to gorgeous vampire. I was finally someone deserving to stand at the side of someone as breathtaking as Emmett.

I grabbed my bouquet of calla lilies and blood red roses and slipped on the simple white satin heels. I smiled as I appraised Alice's dress. She wore a cocktail length, strapless, bright red dress. It gathered with a bow on the left hip. The bright color contrasted beautifully with her pale skin and dark hair. She wore a pair of open-toe gold stilettos that looked absolutely lethal to complete her look.

"Shall we?"

"Let's go get you married, Miss Swan."

"Bella Cullen," I mused. "Or would it be Bella McCarty?"

"Cullen. Definitely Cullen. You're part of us now and forever," she answered quickly.

I choked up. I was fairly certain that if I could cry, I would have. I was finally home. I was finally where my heart was; with Emmett. I had everything that my little, frozen heart could have ever desired. I had the love of my existence, a wonderful, supportive extended family, and I had eternity to be happy with them all. Never again would I be alone. This was my happily ever after. Forever.

Emmett stood at the end of the aisle waiting for me flanked by Jasper as his best man. The moment my eyes fell on Emmett nothing else mattered. His dazzling gold eyes held me captive. I smiled and glided effortlessly towards him. I could faintly hear the amused laughter of the rest of the family as I ignored them and made my way to the only person that truly mattered in my existence. Emmett held his hands out for me and if not for Alice stepping inconspicuously on my toes I may have jumped straight into them. Instead, I restrained myself enough to simply place my own hands in his.

"Are you ready for this?" he whispered. "Are you ready for forever?"

"I'm ready. Bring it on," I challenged with a smirk.


	19. Epilogue

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, any of the characters, or anything else Twilight related. Stephenie Meyers is the genius behind it all. The only thing that I own is the plot. Also, no criticism for the non-canon pairing. **

**The plot is mine, do not plagiarize!**

**:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:**

:-: 7 years later :-:

It had been difficult at first for me to resist the temptation that human blood held for me. The irony did not escape me either. For my entire human life I had been completely averse to blood and now I craved it with my entire being. Almost as much as I craved Emmett's touch. While it had been difficult, it had not been impossible. Emmett had been wonderfully supportive. He brought things that were scented with human touch for me to desensitize myself without the danger of attacking the human the scent belonged to. I almost felt bad for reducing my husband to a kleptomaniac in order for me to control my thirst, but then I would remember that it was better for them to miss a shirt than their life.

In less than a year from my change I began interacting with humans on a regular basis. We had already moved from Forks to New Hampshire. It just so happened to be conveniently close to Dartmouth. I knew that Edward had always secretly hoped that I would attend there one day. Emmett was just as thrilled though. He was eager to get started on his mad scientist career as I applied myself to my studies. With all the free time in the evenings that I had to study, taking a full class load was not a problem. Surprisingly, Emmett was a great and even patient tutor for the classes that were more challenging for me. It was a new side of him that I couldn't help but adore.

Just as I had planned, I finished my degree in Classical Languages and Literature in just three years. There is something to be said about being able to study more than the average student without needing to take multiple breaks to eat or rest. I had also come to terms with the financial aspect of my new life and the fact that Emmett loved to spoil me. In this one case, I did not object. This was my dream and he had the resources to make it happen.

Right after I graduated I moved on to the master's program at Dartmouth. I had gained the attention of more than a few professors because of my dedication and academic excellence. They were all too willing to usher me into the inner circles of academia and offer me small student teaching opportunities as a grad student. Of course I accepted. I obtained my Master of Arts in Liberal Studies exactly two years after completing my undergraduate studies. I accepted a full-time position on the faculty after my graduation. They had made a rare exception to allow me to teach undergraduate courses while I was pursuing my PhD in 16th and 17th century British literature, of course with an emphasis on Shakespeare's plays.

Life could not get much better than it was at that moment. I was in love with my best friend, I was well on my way to obtaining my dream job even if it was only temporary, and I was well in control of my thirst. I had become amazingly desensitized to human scent since I spent so much time in libraries studying or in class. Of course, I was meticulously careful as well; I never went more than a couple days without hunting.

I walked into my first class of the semester. This was the first class that was truly mine. I was in charge. The future education of these students lay in my capable hands. It was my job to mold them for their future, to inspire them, to… drain them.

Who was that? I had to know. I had to find that scent. I hunted just hours before this but I _had_ to have this person. Now! Which one was it? That one. Tall, dark hair, muscular build, deep brown eyes. He must be in shape. Perhaps I could get him to run, get the adrenaline pumping deep into his veins to make it extra sweet. I can lead him outside and drain him slowly, savor every sweet drop of delectable blood.

Ah hell! What is Alice doing here? She is going to ruin my fun! Wait… no. Bad Bella! Bad! We do not drain innocent humans. Although smelling that good should be a crime. Perhaps he is a criminal. Would it be so wrong of me to rid the world of a bad person? I think not. Yes, definitely save the innocent humans by disposing of this one that smells so good it is positively sinful. Definitely criminal.

Alice is coming closer. What to do, what to do? I could take him and run. I wouldn't be able to enjoy him the same as slowly savoring him, but it would do. This fire would be quenched with his sweet, siren blood. It would be worth my having to wear contacts for awhile to hide the traitorous shade of my eyes just to taste even a drop of it.

Alice hissed low and long at me. "Stop it!" she whispered. "Think about it, Bella."

She knew my resolve. I had given this more than enough thought. I had been faithful to Carlisle's lifestyle for seven years without so much as a single slip but I had never encountered someone whose scent appealed to me more than this. Surely he could forgive me for a single slip. He had forgiven worse in Edward when he went on his rebellious streak. At least the rest of the population did not smell this tempting.

Emmett was standing in the doorframe not a second behind her. I groaned internally. I had forgotten that he thought it would be a good idea to take my class so that he could be sure that no "punk humans" decided to hit on me. Oh the sweet irony! Who would have guessed that they would have been in more danger of me than I was of their feeble mating rituals? Strike that- I'm sure that any one who knew me would have surmised as much.

His powerful gaze fixed with mine. From the concern etched across his face it was clear that either my expression was that wild or he had heard Alice's warning and knew that something bad was about to happen. I couldn't be entirely sure that she hadn't spoken with him already either. I would have to be fast. I would have to move and steal the boy before Emmett could wrap his arms around me; though, he was blocking the best escape route. I would have to settle for the window. The boys skin would be ripped as it shattered but it would just make my job that much easier. It would be better for him that way. Quick and relatively painless. I would just drain him without the time to savor. Savoring could be done through the memory of the taste upon my lips.

"Bella," Emmett whispered to me. "You don't want to do this, Bella." I took a fractional step in the direction of my hunger. "Bella." His voice was low and full of reproach. "I will stop you, Bella. You will regret this if you do it. Stop, now, before it's too late."

I growled at him. He would _not_ come between me and my prey. The boy was _mine_. He could not have him.

"Cupcake," Emmett called softly, appealing to my more human nature. "It isn't worth the regret and shame. Let's go, now. It isn't worth it."

I groaned in defeat as my internal monster began its slow and painful retreat. He was right, as usual. That much I would never admit. Emmett had promised me that no matter what he would make sure that I did not take human life. I was committed to the vegetarian lifestyle and I would not falter. No one could make me stray, not even this boy with painfully sweet blood.

My eyes flashed involuntarily to the boy. He was staring across the room at a young girl. She was petite and brunette, a striking resemblance to a younger, more human me. Her eyes were a sparkling green though. She sat quietly at her seat and doodled nervously on her page, seemingly oblivious to the secret admiration of the boy. He looked at her with definite fondness. I couldn't help but wonder if the two had ever spoken, if he even knew her name.

I could do that for them. I could create a partner project and assign them to work together. Something told me that these two would definitely click. The way that she was naturally inclined towards him without noticing told me that she would not protest the assignment. I could do this. I would do this. They vaguely reminded me of Emmett and me in a way. I could not be responsible for destroying their relationship before it ever had a chance. It would feel like destroying what Emmett and I have, and I could not do that.

Alice smiled as I looked back in their direction, obviously pleased with my change of heart. Emmett grinned brightly at me as I nodded my head at him. He crossed the room as quickly as humanly possible and gathered me into his arms. I slumped over into his chest and inhaled deeply. His scent surrounded me and soothed me, though the scent from the boy was still just as strong and begged me to give in. I whimpered and Emmett gave me a gentle but assuring squeeze.

"Do you need to get out of here?"

"I think I can manage," I replied, less than certain of the truth in it. "I'll just breathe as little as possible."

He nodded at me though his eyes were skeptical. "I trust you, Bella. If you say you're fine, I believe you. If you say that you aren't fine, I'm here to help. Just tell me what it is you need."

I hesitated for a moment. What was it that I needed? The boys blood, obviously. It demanded that I drain him. The raging monster in me had calmed but not retreated; it demanded that I claim what was my rightful food source. But what did _I_ need? I needed to conquer this. If I were going to live centuries abstaining from human blood, abstaining from taking human life, I needed to conquer this. I had just obtained my dreams, my job. I would not allow myself to give in to temptation and ruin it all.

My hard work would have been all for naught. No one would have blamed me. Emmett would be supportive no matter what happened. Of that I was sure. But I would not risk exposure of my family; I would not succumb to this desire. I would fight back this demon and I would teach this class just as I had planned. And I would unite that couple so that I could see them as a unit and have that much more incentive to keep him alive.

"I need to stay. I _want _to stay." Emmett nodded at me once. "Look at them," I whispered. "Remind you of anyone?"

He glanced over inconspicuously at the boy I was staring at, the one that held me captivated with his scent alone. His eyes darted from him to the girl that he stared at and back. He looked back at me with a small smile on his perfect lips. "That is how I should have met you."

I nodded in agreement. "I don't know that I would have gone for the mad scientist though."

"You'd love me even if I were a mortician," he challenged.

"What's with the sudden fondness for all things deceased?" I asked mockingly. "They aren't even any fun to smell."

"Hmm… you may be right." He inconspicuously leaned into my neck and inhaled as the tip of his nose trailed my empty veins. "There are much more interesting scents around here."

Reluctantly I pushed him back. I did have appearances to keep up after all. "Take it easy, big guy." He narrowed his eyes playfully at me. "You know, I don't think that you are going to be able to be a student in my class." His look turned suspicious, no doubt thinking I was after the boy still. "After rubbing your nose along my neck I don't think that the other students will believe that you earned your own grade."

He laughed quietly. "I suppose you're right."

"I usually am," I retorted.

"I'll be just outside," he promised. "Watching."

I didn't need to be a mind reader to hear the implicit warning in those words. Everyone was going to be on alert and watching me carefully today. To be honest, it wasn't nearly as threatening as someone as small as Alice might have hoped. I wanted to be watched. I wanted them to make sure that I never failed, that I never killed a human.

With a deep breath I relaxed myself. The scent was just as potent but my resolve was strengthening. I called the class to order and introduced myself. Listening to the mutters under their breath about their doubts over my capabilities was a minute distraction from the scent and I forced myself to focus all of my attention on proving their feeble minds wrong instead of gravitating towards the pull of the fresh blood pulsing in his body.

The partner project was not difficult to create. There were more than just a few stifled moans when I also announced that I would be assigning the partners. I learned quickly that the couple that I designed this for were named Isabel Swenson and Everett Matthews. The similarities between their names with mine and Emmett's did not surprise me as much as I thought it would have. It all seemed fated. It seemed as though I had been placed here, tempted by his blood, and responsible enough to abstain in order to see that this couple needed to be brought together.

By the time class was over I was seated at the far corner of my desk and gripping my seat so firmly that it threatened to crack under my fingers. I had managed to refrain but my self-control was being pushed to its absolute limit. Thankfully, Emmett was nearby and ready to rush me off to the sanctuary of fresh, open air.

"You did great," he congratulated me. "You looked perfectly at ease up there, all things considered. And damn, cupcake, that skirt looks hot on you!"

He playfully pulled up the hem of my skirt an inch and ran his smooth hands along the back of my thighs. It brought out an entirely different craving in my body, one that I could easily satiate. Emmett seemed to recognize the fire in my eyes and smirked as he picked me up bridal style and ran me back to the house.

With time, I had grown desensitized to the sounds of the other couples in the home during their throws of passion. It didn't make me any more comfortable about them hearing me. Today, however, I needed this connection with Emmett. I needed to feel the love that we had for each other. I needed to feel what that couple in class might someday feel. I needed to know that this powerful feeling was enough that I could not be a monster and steal it from someone else. Almost as much as I simply needed Emmett.

This life had been my choice. Never once have I regretted that choice and I am quite sure that I never would. Granted there were drawbacks to it, most of which I was only beginning to experience, many that I still had yet to experience, I would never wish for my life to have taken a different path. Despite the fact that I would live to watch every person I have ever met live and die, that I would live on with the pain of their loss, that my throat would constantly scorch in the presence of humans, I would live. None of those pains could ever amount to the suffering I would endure if I had lost Emmett. He had been my light in a cloudy existence. He had been my friend in an unnatural world. Now he was my lover, for all eternity. He was everything that my now frozen heart had ever, and would ever desire.

**:-:-: :-:-: :-:-:**

**A/N** Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. A special thanks to those who stayed with me and are reading this for a second time. It had been my idea to refresh this story and make everything flow better for some time now and I'm much happier with this version. I hope that you all agree and that you enjoyed reading it!

Much love,

AlyNiki


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